The Destined
by Ryuutsu Seishin Hime no Argh
Summary: In the distant future, Hyrule is withering under the tyrannical rule of Ganondorf, and a thief named Zelda and a mercenary named Link are the only people who can save it. First they must learn to embrace their destinies - and each other. FINISHED.
1. The Task

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

Wow...I almost thought this day would never come, but here I am, back in the Zelda section! ^^ What an honor it is to be able to make another contribution to this fandom (and hopefully a good one). Previous contributions include _The Triforce United, which was discontinued, and __A Tale of Seven Years, which was completed a few months ago, as well as numerous poems and a short story. Over the past few months I was busy in the Final Fantasy X section, working on a serial novel there, before coming up with the idea for this fic and beginning to write it. If you've read anything of mine before, or if you saw this story and just decided to take a look, or whatever the case may be, welcome, and thank you for taking an interest!_

I'm not going to say any more about the plot than what's already in the summary, because hopefully you'll read along and discover that on your own. ^^ I will, however, tell you that this story takes place after Ocarina of Time, and though it may initially appear to have a somewhat Wind Waker-esque premise, it has nothing to do with that game or any others besides OoT. Now for some general stuff...

**Genre: Adventure/romance.**

**Rating: PG-13 for mild violence and language and some adult situations.**

**Disclaimer: Legend of Zelda and all related characters and concepts belong to Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo, with whom I am in no way affiliated. In all other respects this fanfiction is solely my property and may not be used in any way without my express permission.**

Any feedback regarding the story would of course be greatly appreciated. And now, without further ado, I present to you...

*******

**The Destined**

***

Chapter 1

The Task

The canopy of trees overhead in the Lost Woods provided some measure of shelter from the rain, though Demon's hooves sunk into the soft, muddy ground, making the going slow for the even-tempered horse and his somewhat impatient rider. Link sighed as he guided the gelding through tricky patches, his hands steady and practiced on the reins. He didn't quite know why he was so antsy to get to Kakariko, only that he was, and the fastest way was through the forest. Except, of course, for Hyrule Field–but he'd have to be out of his mind to go that way.

Though waterlogged, gelding and rider looked well for a pair of wanderers. Demon's black mane and tail and chestnut brown coat were well-brushed and shining, his saddle and tack made of good leather. Link, a tall, broad-shouldered young man of seventeen, dressed in a green tunic and skirt with white hose, his feet encased in sturdy, well-worn boots and leather gauntlets protecting his hands and wrists. His golden hair was tied back in a short ponytail and covered beneath a green cap, leaving enough hair free to fall over his sky-blue eyes. 

People often mistook Link for a knight from a distant, honorable land. But he had been born and raised in Hyrule, where there were no knights, only an army of twisted, evil men and ugly creatures who served under Ganondorf, the tyrannical king of Hyrule. There was no work here for a knight, but plenty for a warrior-for-hire willing to take any job.

Unexplained urges notwithstanding, going to Kakariko wasn't so bad. The town sprawled at the foot of Death Mountain was so large it was nearly a city, with people from all corners of Hyrule inhabiting it, as well as foreigners from overseas. There was always work to be found in Kakariko, and he was in need of a job–or rather, some Rupees.

In the meantime, however, it was obvious that Link and Demon were not going to be out of the forest anytime soon. Link sighed again and drew up the reins, bringing Demon to a halt. The rain was supposed to stop sometime around midnight, and hopefully by morning the ground wouldn't be so wet.

An oiled canvas spread on the ground would keep him dry for the night. Link removed Demon's tack and saddle and rubbed him down, then left the gelding to graze on his own. He lay on his back and watched what few stars could be seen through the trees and the clouds, waiting for sleep to come. It didn't come easily. The antsy feeling was gnawing at him again, more so now that he had stopped moving toward Kakariko.

"Why am I in such a rush to get there, anyway?" Link wondered aloud. Demon, chewing a clump of grass nearby, gave a soft whicker. The gelding was not nearly as fierce or mean as his name suggested, though he had proved himself to have a tough streak a few months back, when Link was ambushed by a group of wild Moblins. Link had bought him just a month before that off a trader near Lake Hylia. It was just the two of them on the road, but with Demon's companionship Link was never lonely.

"My senses are telling me that there's something waiting in Kakariko," Link told his horse, who flicked an ear back and forth as he listened. "Maybe it'll be a good job for once, eh?"

Link never quite understood what it was that kept him constantly on the road. Men with talent like his, men who could use a sword and a bow and a number of other weapons, take care of a horse, build with wood and craft with metal and forge, those were the sort of men who had it easy in the world. He could have a steady job at any number of the small villages scattered throughout Hyrule, maybe even a home, but instead he was a warrior-for-hire, taking any job available, never staying in one place.

_My entire life I feel like I've been searching for something, Link thought, chewing on a piece of grass, _but I never know what it is.__

His eyes fluttered closed.

_"Do you believe in destiny?"_

The voice, high-pitched, clear, and pure, sent Link bolting upright on the canvas, looking around for the source of it.

_"Do you know for what you search?"_

It was a young voice, Link realized, and it was female. It sounded like a little girl, yet it seemed to come from all directions at once, from every shadow in the tree-filled forest. The very sound of it sent chills up his spine.

_"Will you know your fate, when you find it?"_

"Who are you?" Link demanded, leaping to his feet, his hand going to the hilt of the sword on his back. "Show yourself!"

The sound of footsteps behind him made Link whip around, drawing his sword in one swift motion. He looked at the person before him and froze.

She was indeed a child, a young girl of perhaps ten or so, adorned in green, live plant tendrils entwined around her wrists, ankles, and neck. Her closely-cropped hair was green, her eyes a bright blue, and her smile enchanting.

"Are you going to kill me, Link?" she asked calmly, that mysterious smile never wavering from her lips.

Link glanced at Demon. The horse eyed the girl thoughtfully as he chewed on a clump of grass, then he lowered his head to graze once again. Link relaxed slightly, sliding his sword back into its sheath.

"Who are you?" he asked again. "How do you know my name?"

"I am Saria," replied the girl. "I am the spirit of the forest. I have lived here for over a century, and you, Link, are the man for whom I have been waiting."

For one wild moment Link wondered if this girl was the something he was searching for, but Saria shook her head as if she'd read his mind.

"I am not your fate, Link. I am merely a guide along your path. You have a great destiny waiting for you, if you are courageous enough to seek it."

Link shook his head. "Sorry, miss, but I think you have the wrong man. I don't believe in destiny."

Saria smiled. "Then you think it merely coincidence that you left a good job with the Gerudo in the desert to come all the way to Kakariko, for reasons you cannot discern? You think there is nothing waiting for you there?"

"There's lots of work in Kakariko," Link said defensively.

"There is indeed, and you have your work cut out for you, my friend." Saria regarded him quietly for a moment, then went on, "What if I told you I was a messenger from the goddesses?"

Link gaped at her for a moment, wondering if she was serious. Then he slowly shook his head. "I don't believe in the goddesses, either."

"Why not?" Saria inquired.

"Farore, Din, and Nayru," Link said dubiously. "The three Golden Goddesses. The ones who created Hyrule, and who were revered once when the land was prosperous, a long time ago. Now they aren't."

He shrugged. "People suffer and die under Ganondorf's rule. If the goddesses exist, why don't they do something to stop it?"

"They can only do so much," Saria explained. "The realms of mortals and divine beings are separate. They are governed by different laws. But they are also linked–the realm of the divine ones changes according to the realm of mortals. The goddesses see, and the goddesses know. They have not yet acted because they cannot. They, like you, are waiting."

Link scowled. "Don't tell me. I've been chosen by the goddesses to single-handedly save Hyrule. Is that it?"

Saria merely shrugged. "I cannot predict your fate, Link. I can merely lead you to it."

Link smiled crookedly. "All right. Lead me."

Saria smiled. "In Kakariko there is a woman you must find. Her name is Zelda Harkinian."

Link frowned. Why did he think he'd heard that name before?

"When you find her, you must stay with her," Saria continued. "She is important–very important–to Hyrule's future. She is a strong woman, but there are evils from which she cannot protect herself. That is your task–to protect her."

"You want me to babysit some lady I've never met before without even knowing why?" Link demanded. "Why should I?"

Saria shrugged. "Decide for yourself. Soon, Link, your path will be presented to you. It is your decision whether or not to take it."

"I don't think I want to take any mysterious paths right now," Link said bluntly. "I'm happy enough where I am." He turned away.

_"Are you? Or will you forever search?"_

Link jerked and looked back quickly, but the mysterious girl had disappeared.

"Weird," Link muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. Chills were still running up and down his spine. "That girl really did a number on me," he told Demon, who ignored him in favor of some tasty grass.

_Still, Link thought as he lay down on the oiled canvas, suddenly exhausted, _I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a look around Kakariko. I'm already nearly there...__

He drifted off, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

***

To be continued.


	2. Zelda

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Bah, sorry about the stupidly long delay in posting a new chapter. Just when I was ready to post again Fanfiction.net decides that I can't upload things for whatever reason. Well, at least the problem's now been resolved. 

  


Anyway, here is the second chapter. Thanks very much for all the enthusiastic response the first chapter got, I'm so glad people like this story. I'll do my best not to disappoint. ^^ Thanks for reading!

  


***

  


Chapter 2

Zelda

  


"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! Welcome, one and all, to the greatest spectacle Kakariko has ever seen–the Masked Players, Hyrule's finest traveling entertainment troupe!"

  


The audience applauded at Cleo's introduction, some with more enthusiasm than others. The market square in the town of Kakariko was particularly crowded today, the dry, dusty street packed with bartering stands beneath brightly colored banners and flags as people milled back and forth, some inspecting the wares that the barterers and bazaars had to offer, others still joining the crowd grouped about the clock in the middle of the square, beside which the Masked Players had set their stage. The shouts of the barterers, haggling of patrons, and shrieks and laughs of children filled the square, above which Cleo's magnificent stage voice rose.

  


"Gather 'round, one and all, for a show you'll not soon forget!" the woman cried, majestic in a scarlet-and-gold silk wrap, a smiling golden mask concealing her face. "Great entertainment at the best price in Hyrule–free!" 

  


Of course, the show wasn't free for all, Zelda thought with a smirk as she waited backstage, but these townspeople didn't need to know that. Their small stage folded out from a wooden wagon covered in canvases of bright red, green, violet, yellow, and blue. The wagon itself was painted on the outside in a pattern of red, white, and black, with the words "Masked Players" carved in jaunty letters in the its side. Inside the large wagon was enough room for Zelda, her second Impa, Bolo, Marek, Dagger, and Oberon. Parcleus and Rune were in the midst of the crowd, hands in every pocket and purse they could find.

  


"A bout of stage combat!" Cleo crowed outside, met with much applause. Zelda knew the crowd must be large enough now for the show and nodded toward Oberon and Impa. Both slid masks over their faces, took up a pair of stage swords, and took their places behind the curtain as Zelda, Bolo, Marek, and Dagger slid back out of the audience's view.

  


"Preeeeeesenting...Impa and Oberon!" Cleo cried as the curtain flew back. Impa and Oberon marched out onto the stage, to the wild applause of the watching crowd.

  


"It's busy today," Zelda said happily as the curtain slid back into place. A moment later the clashing of swords sounded outside. "We're going to have a huge loot."

  


"Can we stay here for a while and raid, too?" Dagger begged, her face shining with excitement. She was short and compact, a year older than Zelda at eighteen, with frizzy black hair and wide brown eyes. "There are so many lovely houses around. I bet they have _loads _of riches!"

  


"We'll stay here as long as the pickings are good and we don't get caught," Zelda cautioned.

  


"We're the Best Damn Thieves Around," Marek said lazily, reclining on a crate. He was in his mid-twenties, tall and gangling with reddish-brown hair and lots of freckles. "We don't get caught."

  


"Shut up, you'll jinx us," Zelda retorted, then looked at Bolo. At fourteen, the blond-haired, green-eyed youth was the youngest of their troupe, and it was his first show in front of an audience. He looked positively green.

  


"Feeling okay, Bolo?" Zelda said kindly. The youth nodded, swallowing hard. "Just remember, don't move an _inch," _Zelda reminded him. "Don't even twitch. I swear I won't hit you."

  


Bolo nodded again and went back to looking sick. It was just nerves about performing in front of an audience, Zelda decided. They'd practiced long enough for Bolo to realize she wouldn't put an arrow through him.

  


The clanging of the swords outside had stopped. "And the winner is...Impa!" Cleo announced to wild cheers. No one inside the wagon was surprised; Impa always won the sword routine. 

  


Impa and Oberon pushed their way back inside, both sweating. Impa removed her mask and pushed back her sweat-matted hair as Oberon, a tall, well-muscled teenager flung himself onto a crate, running his hands through his tousled brown hair. "They're ready for you," he informed Dagger and Marek, panting.

  


Dagger and Marek jumped to their feet, securing masks over their faces, and took their place.

  


"Here's a real treat–the most talented acrobats in the world!" Cleo announced. "Their stunts will astound you! Their bravery is unmatched! Their skill is like nothing the world has ever seen!"

  


"She's making me blush," Dagger said breathlessly.

  


"Preeeeeesenting...Dagger and Marek!"

  


Dagger and Marek darted through the curtains.

  


Zelda offered Impa the water flask. The woman gulped half of its contents and passed it to Oberon, then sunk onto a crate next to Zelda. "It's hot today," she murmured.

  


"I know," Zelda replied, scrutinizing her second. Impa was silver-haired, with shocking eyes of a blood red, her face stern, her body tall, lean, and well-muscled. She came from a mysterious race of people called Sheikah, who had centuries ago disappeared from Hyrule. "You'd better stay inside," she worried. Impa looked to be about in her mid-thirties, but there was no telling for sure. In any case, she was certainly the oldest of their troupe. "We won't do any more shows today."

  


Impa waved her off. "I'm fine."

  


"If you say so," Zelda said doubtfully.

  


More applause met the end of Dagger and Marek's routine. The two tumblers came back inside the wagon, flushed and beaming. "I love a good show," Dagger said enthusiastically, hugging Marek around the shoulders.

  


"Ready, Bolo?" Zelda asked, standing with her mask in one hand and a longbow and quiver of arrows in the other. Bolo nodded without speaking. Oberon and Marek slipped out the curtains as they waited, carrying between them a large rectangular board on which a target was painted.

  


"The archer's target!" Cleo proclaimed as the two men set up the target on the stage. "But she won't be shooting at this piece of wood, here, oh no. I give you the archer's _true_ target! Preeeeeesenting...Bolo!"

  


Bolo swallowed hard as the curtain drew open and walked out onto the stage, mask in place. Zelda waited until the curtain was closed once more, then slid her own mask over her face and got into position.

  


"And now, the Masked Players' best show!" Cleo cried. "The stage is set for a most dangerous sport–archery with a _human_ target! Will the archer make her shot? Will our young friend walk away unscathed?"

  


Impa put an apple in Zelda's free hand.

  


"I give you the head of our troupe, the archer herself...preeeeeesenting...Zelda!"

  


The curtains flung back and Zelda walked out onto the stage to wild cheering and applause. The crowd that had gathered by now to watch was enormous, packing every corner of the market square. Even the barterers had ceased their haggling to watch the show.

  


Bolo was in his place, back against the wooden board, arms and legs spread in an X shape. Zelda walked to him and placed the apple on his head. "Not a twitch, Bolo," she whispered, then walked to the other side of the stage.

  


"I ask now for silence," Cleo entreated the audience. She stood just to Zelda's left on a corner of the stage. "The archer must concentrate."

  


Obediently the audience fell silent. There was not a sound to be heard but the flapping of banners in the wind.

  


Zelda set the quiver of arrows at her feet and drew a string from the pocket of her breeches. She strung the bow with deft, practiced hands, then drew an arrow from the quiver and set it to nock. She raised the bow so that the arrow was level with her shoulders and took aim at Bolo. Bolo's expressionless mask stared back at her.

  


Zelda drew the bowstring to her ear and released with a soft _thwap. _The arrow streaked through the air and embedded itself into the wood of the target just between Bolo's legs.

  


"Ooh!" gasped the watching crowd.

  


Zelda took two arrows from the quiver and set them both to nock on the string. She raised the bow again, now holding it horizontally, and took aim. She drew the string back and released. The two arrows thudded into the wood on either side of Bolo's torso.

  


The audience was still quiet, the wind whispering over the tense, watching crowd. Zelda fired eight arrows in rapid succession, lining Bolo's arms with four arrows each. The boy did not even flinch. 

  


There was now one arrow left in the quiver. The audience seem to sense that this was the moment they'd waiting for, and tension spread through the crowd like wildfire. Zelda saw hands press to mouths, eyes widen as they flickered between her and Bolo. She drew the arrow, set it to nock, and took aim. To the audience it appeared she was aiming directly at Bolo's head–instead, she aimed for the apple. 

At that moment, something—she was never sure what—made Zelda turn her head and looked out into the audience. Her gaze met the sky blue eyes of a young man seated on a horse in the back of the crowd, dressed all in green, watching her intently.

  


Zelda stared at him, abruptly struck by a sense of recognition. _Who…?_

  


Then just as abruptly her senses returned to her, and she faced Bolo once again. _Concentrate, _she ordered herself, drawing the string back to her ear. She made herself think of the apple, and only the apple, focusing her vision on that one small object.

  


The watching crowd seemed to draw in one collective breath. Zelda released the string. The arrow sang as it flew to plunge directly into the apple, splitting it down the middle. The two pieces fell to the stage.

  


The audience erupted into wild cheers, applause rising like thunder. Bolo carefully disengaged himself from the target to meet Zelda at center stage. They both drew off their masks to find themselves wearing the same happy, relieved grin.

  


"Presenting the Masked Players!" Cleo cried as the curtain flew open once more. "Impa and Oberon! Dagger and Marek!" The four players jogged out onto the stage to take their places beside Bolo and Zelda, masks discarded. "Bolo the human target, aaaaaaaand...Zelda!"

  


The players bowed to the cheering crowd. Cleo curtsied, and the seven retreated back into the cart. Just before the curtain fell, Zelda looked again for the blue-eyed young man. He was nowhere to be seen.

  


* * *

  


Link could hardly believe his luck. Not only had he made it to Kakariko on a bright, sunny afternoon, but he had run directly into a girl named Zelda—in an entertainment troupe.

  


_Maybe she's not _that _Zelda? _Link wondered, but it was an uncommon name, and the whole thing seemed a little too coincidental. "I can't believe I'm saying this," Link told Demon wryly as the horse drank from a trough in the market square, "but maybe there really is something to this destiny stuff."

He kept his distance from the players as they packed up their wagon, hiding in an alleyway between shops so they wouldn't see him staring. The troupe head, Zelda, was in the midst of it all, directing the players, stowing away props, helping to fold back the stage into their enormous, painted wagon. He could see that she was young, around his age, slim and shapely, dressed in a full-sleeved white cotton shirt and navy blue breeches. Hair of the palest gold tumbled down her back, and even at a distance he could see her eyes, the dark blue of the sky at midnight, stark and wide in her pale face.

  


_Not the prettiest girl around, _Link decided, _but nice enough. She'd do better in a dress._

  


Once their wagon was packed and chained to the clock post in the center of the square, the players gathered. "We're leaving first thing tomorrow, so use your time wisely," Zelda ordered. "Bring what you find to the wagon after midnight. We can't risk being seen, especially by the blue-shirts, or we won't be able to come back here."

  


With a chorus of "yes ma'ams" and goodbyes, the players dispersed in twos and threes, heading in different directions. Link watched them go, frowning. Something about Zelda's comments struck him as odd. And what exactly was a "blue shirt"?

  


Zelda remained in the square for a few minutes, conferring with a tall, silver-haired, stern-looking woman. Then the two split apart, the tall woman back to their wagon and Zelda to an inn on the other side of the square.

  


Link sighed, tugging Demon toward the stable beside the inn. "Guess we're staying here tonight. Following people sure is a pain, isn't it?" The gelding whickered softly and Link patted his neck. "Well, we'll just stick around for tonight and see what happens. I hope that forest girl isn't putting me on a wild goose chase."

  


He paid the fee to house Demon for the night out of his pathetically low store of Rupees, then headed inside the inn. The ground floor was a large tavern packed with townspeople and visitors from all corners of Hyrule—Hylians, Gerudo, Zora, and Gorons alike. The noise that filled the tavern was deafening—glasses clanging, friends laughing as they shared drinks, the slurred shouts of drunkards and gamblers. Amidst the crowd and the din Link spotted Zelda sitting at the bar with a glass of water in front of her. 

  


"Now what, forest girl?" he muttered. There was no reply. Sighing with impatience, Link trudged across the tavern, elbowing his way through the crowd, and took a seat beside the troupe head.

  


"Are you Zelda Harkinian?" he asked bluntly.

  


The girl jumped slightly, obviously caught by surprise, and turned her gaze to him. For a moment Link stared at her, dazzled by her eyes. They were the most extraordinary shade of blue he'd ever seen, so dark they were nearly black, large and wide and framed by a set of full, dark lashes. Link suddenly realized she was much more beautiful than he'd first perceived.

  


Then her eyes narrowed sharply, and the countenance of beauty and grace disappeared. "Who wants to know?" she demanded.

  


This was going to take a bit of explaining. "Ah…someone told me you'd be here," Link said vaguely, not wanting to get into detail. "I just wanted—"

  


"Are you a blue-shirt?" Zelda interrupted, staring at him suspiciously. 

  


He blinked in response. "A what?"

  


The girl stared at him for a moment longer, then shook her head. "Never mind. You're not a blue-shirt, just a dolt."

  


"Thanks," Link said dryly. "I saw your show, by the way. That was pretty impressive. What trick did you use?"

  


Zelda shot him a dirty look. "Trick? There was no trick. That was a real bow I was using, and real arrows."

  


Link raised his eyebrows, impressed. "You've very good," he told her honestly.

  


"Thank you." Zelda regarded Link for a moment in silence. "Hey, I know you!" she said suddenly. "You're that guy I saw at the show! You caught my attention when I was about to shoot the apple." She smiled flirtatiously. "My eyes were drawn to you."

  


Before Link could respond, the inn's door flew open with a loud bang and three men dressed in navy blue shirts, black trousers, and plate mail came marching in. Zelda took one look at them and quickly turned away, her face going stark white.

  


"Where is Zelda Harkinian?" one of the men demanded in a loud, authoritative voice.

  


"Blue-shirts?" Link whispered to Zelda.

  


"The law," she whispered back, nodding.

  


That explained something. Link glanced back to see the blue-shirts elbowing through the crowd, eyes casting about for their quarry. Zelda slid slowly off her stool and onto the ground, crawling off through the maze of table legs and feet. Link hesitated, then followed.

  


"Speak up!" ordered the man who had spoken before. "Where are Zelda Harkinian and the Best Damn Thieves Around?"

  


Link's eyebrows shot up. "The Best Damn Thieves Around?" he whispered to Zelda in disbelief.

  


"It's a good name!" Zelda hissed. "Because we are."

  


"I'm not going to say it again–" One of the blue-shirts suddenly made the mistake of rudely shoving past a reeling drunk. The drunkard roared and charged him, knocking him to the floor. The other blue-shirts rushed to the aid of their comrade, but a large man grabbed them both by the shoulders and threw them into a table. Pandemonium and chaos broke loose.

"Ow!" Zelda hollered as someone stepped on her fingers. "Trust the drunk of Kakariko to start a barfight!"

More men entered the fray, sending tables and chairs toppling over and glasses and tankards flying. Link seized Zelda around the waist and hauled her behind the safety of the bar.

  


"We have to get out of here!" he yelled over the din of shouting men and shattering glass.

  


_"We?"_ Zelda snapped back. "Just who are you, anyway?"

  


"My name is Link! I'm supposed to be protecting you!"

  


"I can protect myself! And what the hell kind of name is Link, anyway?"

  


"What the hell kind of name is the Best Damn Thieves Around?!"

  


A glass flew over the counter and shattered against the wall above them. Link threw himself over Zelda, protecting her with his body as glass shards rained down on them. "We're getting out of here," he said grimly as he straightened, clamping a hand around Zelda's wrist. "We'll make a run for the door, okay?"

  


"Okay," Zelda said, her face pale and determined.

  


"On three. One–"

  


"Three!" Zelda darted out from behind the bar, dragging Link along with surprising strength. Link grabbed a pewter mug off a table as they ran and banged a drunkard who tried to attack them around the head. They squeezed through a press of bodies and leapt at the door–only to find it block by an upturned table.

  


"Damn!" Zelda snapped, but Link shoved her off to the side.

  


"Stand back," he warned, drawing his sword. Two quick slashes made short work of not only the table, but the door as well. Link kicked aside a few splintered chunks of wood, grabbed Zelda's hand, and ran.

  


They didn't stop running until they'd reached the now-deserted market square. Night had fallen and the moon rose full in a star-filled sky. Zelda turned to Link, flushed and breathless, and threw her arms around his neck.

  


"That was amazing! The way you cut through the door–like a knife slicing butter–and hitting the guy with the mug! Wow!"

  


"I'm not sure that's something to be proud of," Link admitted. He couldn't help thinking–with her arms around him, her smiling mouth scant inches from his, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright with excitement–she was indeed beautiful.

  


"I am!" she said, laughing and hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe. "That was the most fun I've had in ages!"

  


"I'm glad," Link said, a bit choked, "but–Zelda–"

  


"Oh!" She let go of his neck and backed away with her hands behind her back, still laughing. "Sorry, sorry. Well, thank you for helping me back there! Hope to see you around!"

  


"Uh," Link said as she backed into the shadows of an alleyway. "Hey–wait–"

  


She was gone.

  


For a moment he intended to run after her, then suddenly stopped and scolded himself. Just what in Din's name was he _doing, _anyway? Running around after a girl he'd just met was not his business, even if Saria the forest spirit had told him to. _Besides, _Link thought dismissively, _she can take care of herself. _But he wondered.

  


Link headed back toward the inn with half a mind to fetch Demon from the stable and get out of there, when a sudden lightness on his back made him stop in his tracks. Casting a glance over his shoulder, Link abruptly understood.

  


His sword, sheath and all, was gone. 

  


"That sneaky, conniving..." Link growled, "that little brat...most fun she's had, indeed!"

  


Without another moment of hesitation he turned and darted toward the alleyway into which Zelda had disappeared, intending to make the thief pay.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	3. The Best Damn Thieves Around

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Da da, for you, here is the stupendously fabulous (or something to that effect) Chapter 3! I meant to post it sooner, only I was caught up in the hustle and bustle of a _very_ busy week, which culminated in my graduation from high school. ^^ Now that I have the time to lazily bask in the glory of graduation, I should probably take a momentary break from my euphoria to post a chapter of this fic. 

  


And here it is!

  


***

  


Chapter 3

The Best Damn Thieves Around

  


Zelda couldn't help feeling a bit guilty about stealing Link's sword after he'd just saved her life, though examining it quickly banished the feeling. It was a beautifully crafted sword with a long blade of blue-silver, finely tempered steel, a small goddess mark engraved in gold just below the hilt. Zelda drew it slowly to make the blade sing, and it continued to hum in her hand as if alive. The plain leather scabbard hid its true beauty.

  


_I wonder why he carries a goddess-marked sword,_ she thought, tracing the golden three-piece triangle with her fingers. It was called the Triforce, and it was the mark of the three goddesses who were said to have created Hyrule. Ganondorf had banned their worship long ago, but temples hidden throughout Hyrule were dedicated to them, and hundreds of people still believed in their existence and worshiped in the privacy of their own homes.

  


Zelda wasn't one of them. She wasn't sure if she believed in their existence, and even if they were real, she didn't care to worship any deity that allowed a man like Ganondorf to rule Hyrule unhindered.

  


"Zelda! Miss Zelda!"

  


A furtive whisper caught her attention. Looking around, Zelda saw a familiar face peeking around the corner of a building.

  


"How goes it, Rune?" Zelda greeted the pickpocket, joining her in the shadows.

  


"It goes well, Miss Zelda," Rune whispered, her face shining with excitement. She was a young Gerudo with bright red hair and sparkling green eyes, her prominent nose and dark skin marks of her heritage. There was a swollen purple bruise around her left eye.

  


"Rune," Zelda said, startled, "what happened to your eye?"

  


"Oh," Rune said, waving a hand, "don't worry about that. I was in the tavern with you when the fight broke out and some jerk's elbow clipped my eye."

  


"Ouch," Zelda said, wincing in sympathy.

  


"Yeah. But hey, I saw you leave with that handsome man!" Rune's eyes shone. "Who was he?"

  


Zelda grinned. "His name is Link. He said he was supposed to protect me."

  


"Ooh!" Rune exclaimed. "That's so romantic!"

  


"He was just some kid," Zelda said dismissively.

  


"Yes, but he was _really_ handsome!" 

  


"I suppose so," Zelda conceded. "But anyway, look at what I got from him!" She held up the sword in its plain leather scabbard and drew it halfway.

  


Rune's eyes widened in reverence. "It's _beautiful."_

  


"Isn't it? And look, it's goddess-marked." Zelda pointed to the gold Triforce. "It'll bring some good money. Here." She pushed the sword into Rune's hands, casting a furtive look around. "I need you to bring it to the wagon for me. Link might be following me."

  


"Ooh!" Rune squealed. "Miss Zelda is being pursued by a mysterious, attractive, gallant man! How romantic!"

  


Zelda made a face. "Everything's romantic to you. And he won't catch me," she added with an arrogant toss of her hair. "But just in case..." She shrugged and backed away, waving. "See you in the morning!"

  


"See you!" Rune called as she turned and darted off.

  


She skirted the perimeter of the large town several times, reversing direction often to confuse any pursuers–Link or the blue-shirts. After some time she headed back to the market square. The wagon was gone, as she expected–her thieves would have moved it when they heard the blue-shirts were in town. Confident that all was well, Zelda headed back toward the perimeter of the square, passing the clock post, when suddenly a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.

  


She reacted without thinking. Yanking a dagger from her belt with her free hand, she slashed viciously up at her attacker's face. He jerked back just in time that the dagger sliced through a few strands of golden hair. 

  


Her attacker seized her other wrist and twisted it until she dropped the dagger. "You could hurt somebody with that thing, you know," a familiar voice drawled.

  


Zelda grinned. "Well, Link, that's kind of the point."

  


"Apparently," he said dryly, but his blue eyes were as hard as diamonds, glittering in the moonlight. "So where's my sword, Zelda?"

  


"Wouldn't know. Did you misplace it?"

  


He scowled at her. "I'm not in the mood for games. Where is it?"

  


"Don't have it."

  


"I can see that. Is it with one of your friends?"

  


"Which friends?"

  


"You know damn well which friends. Your little troupe."

  


"The performers?"

  


"The thieves! The Best Damn Thieves Around!"

  


"Wow, are they that good?"

  


Link slowly drew in a deep breath. Zelda eyed him, aware that he was very close to losing his temper. _He gets riled up too easily, _she decided, amused. After a moment or two, though, Link seemed to get himself under control.

  


"Fine," he said in as calm a voice as possible. He turned and began dragging her across the square. "Then you're coming with me."

  


She offered no resistance, trotting along beside him. "Where are we going, Link?" she asked innocently.

  


He cast her a glare. "To the inn." Sure enough, he was dragging her toward the inn in which the fight earlier had occurred.

  


"What about the blue-shirts?" Zelda demanded, suddenly wondering exactly what he intended to do.

  


"Gone," he replied shortly as they stepped through the remains of the ruined door and into the inn. Maids and servers wandered back and forth amongst the wreckage of the tavern, up righting tables, sweeping up glass shards, nursing the wounded. Link stalked past them without hesitation and headed up the stairs to the second floor of the inn, still dragging her along. No one noticed or stopped them.

  


He stopped outside one of the rooms, fishing around for the keys, then unlocked the door and shoved her through first. He stepped inside and closed the door behind them, locking it again.

  


They were in one of the small bedrooms the inn rented out for the night, furnished with only a bed, a small table, and a chair. Moonlight streamed through the lacy curtains covering the window. Zelda turned to Link and smiled impishly.

  


"Now what?"

  


In response he dragged out the chair from the table and pointed to it. "Sit," he ordered.

  


She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Why?"

  


He folded his arms and looked her in the eye levelly. "Since you feel so much like playing games, here's one for you–I call it 'the waiting game.' You get to sit here and wait to see if your friends decide to return my sword."

  


"And if they don't?"

  


He scowled. "Then we'll see what happens. Sit."

  


She obeyed, crossing her legs and folding her arms over her chest, meeting his gaze defiantly. "This won't work, you know. The thieves might try to find me, but they won't give back the sword."

  


"What will they do without a leader?" Link said ominously.

  


Zelda shrugged. "Elect a new one, I suppose."

  


For a moment he gaped at her. "Some friends!"

  


Zelda smiled. "That's life in Hyrule. Only the fittest survive. So if you're going to kill me now you may as well get it over with!"

  


There was silence for a few long moments, then Link sighed and shook his head, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "What's the point in killing a little girl, anyway?" he muttered.

  


"Little girl?" Zelda demanded. "I'd bet my right arm that you're not a year older than me!"

  


"How old are you?"

  


"Seventeen." Link was silent. "Thought so!" Zelda crowed triumphantly. "You're an old soul, which might have made me mistake your age, but you lose your temper too easily, like a little boy. What did you think you were going to get in dragging me here, anyway? Company for the night?"

  


"H-hey!" Link said, eyes wide. "Don't get the wrong idea!"

  


"Hn." Zelda shook her head. "You really are just a boy. If you had been anyone else I would have put my dagger through your heart." She sighed. "Something about you makes me want to trust you. Don't ask me what."

  


For a moment Link gazed at her in silence. "Zelda..."

  


A faint noise outside, just a light tap, really, made them both freeze and look quickly at the door. "A blue-shirt?" Zelda whispered, tensing.

  


"Might be," Link whispered back, climbing slowly to his feet. "Or something worse. Of course, if I had my _sword..._" 

  


"Oh, just use that lamp on the table there," Zelda hissed.

  


Finding nothing better, Link took hold of the heavy lamp and slowly approached the door. There was silence outside the door. He reached carefully for the knob, raising the lamp above his head, and flung open the doors.

  


A pair of shocking crimson eyes met his.

  


"Impa?!" Zelda gasped. It was the last thing Link heard.

* * *

  


There was a loud, grating, squeaking noise in Link's ears, accompanied by a constant jostling. His head was throbbing fiercely and all the muscles in his body pulsed with a slow, steady ache. His eyes fluttered, then opened.

  


A pair of slanting green eyes in a dark-skinned face filled his vision.

  


"YAH!" Link yelled, bolting upright. His head reeled with a sudden, sharp pain and he fell back, gasping.

  


"Careful." A cool, dry hand soothed his forehead. Link looked up into midnight blue eyes.

  


"Zelda?"

  


She smiled. "Good, you know me. I thought Impa might have hit you a bit too hard, but you'll be all right."

  


"Hit me…?" Abruptly Link understood the reason for his fierce headache. He tried to put a hand to his head and couldn't—looking over his shoulder, he found that his hands were bound behind his back.

  


For the first time Link took a good look around. He was lying on the wooden floor of what appeared to be a large wooden wagon. The walls around them were made of wood; bright colored canvases hung over the back entrance to the wagon. Boxes, crates, and chests were piled everywhere, on which a number of young men and women lounged, many of whom Link recognized vaguely. He suddenly realized that he must be in the wagon of the Masked Players, or rather, the Best Damn Thieves Around.

  


Zelda and a young Gerudo sat on the floor on either side of him. "He's even more handsome than I thought," the Gerudo crooned. "Look at his eyes! They're so pretty!"

  


"What's going on?" Link demanded of Zelda.

  


"I've turned the tables," Zelda exclaimed brightly. "Now you're my prisoner!"

  


Link struggled to sit up and nearly fell back again, but the Gerudo held his shoulder, steadying him. "Thanks," Link said to her gratefully.

  


She winked at him very suggestively. "Any time. I'd be happy to help you in any way I—"

  


"Oh, quit it, Rune," Zelda interrupted, suddenly irritated. "You sound like a prostitute."

  


"Well, I _am_ a prostitute."

  


"Not anymore," Zelda said shortly. "So quit playing around."

  


"I think we should all quit playing around," came a woman's dry voice. Link looked around for the source of the voice and found a tall, hard-looking woman, middle-aged, with silver hair pulled back in a no-nonsense bun and eyes of a stark blood red. Link recognized her immediately.

  


"Hey! You're the woman who knocked me around the head!"

  


"That's Impa," Zelda put in. "A Sheikah. She's the second-in-command of the Best Damn Thieves Around."

  


"You really need to come up with a better name for your group," Link said bluntly to Zelda.

  


"I told you," Impa said dryly.

  


Zelda threw up her hands. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

  


Impa gazed at Link, her crimson eyes resting on him thoughtfully for several long moments. "I apologize for hitting you. I reacted somewhat hastily."

  


"No harm done," Link said dryly, "aside from the huge bump on my head."

  


Impa gave a small smile and looked at Zelda. "Well?"

  


"I know, I know." Zelda knelt beside Link and untied his hands, then tugged on his arm until he stood, steadying him with an arm around his waist. "C'mon. We need to talk."

  


Link followed her out the back of the wagon and onto solid ground. Outside it was sunny and warm, the sky blue and cloudless. The wagon rumbled over a bumpy dirt road, climbing higher and higher on what appeared to be a Death Mountain trail. 

  


The wagon groaned and squeaked as a pair of lowing oxen towed it. Demon, tethered to the wagon by a long rope, plodded along placidly behind it.

  


"Demon!" Link exclaimed as the horse saw him and butted his chest affectionately.

  


"Is _that_ his name?" Zelda said with a laugh. "He's too sweet to be a Demon."

  


"I didn't name him," Link informed her, patting the gelding's neck. "And he would have given you a much harder time if he didn't trust you. I trust his judgment, so I guess you must be okay after all." He added dryly, "Although you still haven't returned my sword…"__

  


Zelda laughed. "Don't worry, it's in the wagon. I just wanted to be careful. How am I to know _you _can be trusted?"

  


Link shrugged. "I did help you out back there in the inn."

  


"I suppose," Zelda admitted. "Anyway, look—I'm sorry about dragging you along with us. I know you might have something important to do in Kakariko, but we really couldn't wait—"

  


"I understand," Link said with a shrug. "What I want to know is, why _did _you drag me along?"

  


"Well…" Zelda stopped walking and turned to face him, suddenly looking serious. "The thing is, I don't know why. We were going to leave you in the inn, but Impa suggested we take you along—"

  


"Why would she suggest that?" Link asked, frowning.

  


Zelda shrugged. "Dunno. But when she said it, I suddenly thought it sounded like a really good idea." She sighed. "I don't get it any more than you do."

But Link thought he might have some idea. It all had to do with that destiny stuff Saria had told him about—or at least, it seemed to. Were he and Zelda really fated to stick together, at least for now?

  


He was beginning to think it might be so.

  


"Anyway," Zelda continued, "we're going over the mountain to the town of Bayside. Ever been there?"

  


Link shook his head.

  


"It's a nice town," Zelda said brightly. "It's right on the beach. We have a few buyers there."

  


"Oh? You mean for the stuff you steal?" Link asked dryly.

  


"Yeah, that stuff. This one buyer, well–" Zelda's voice suddenly pitched lower. "He likes old things, and, err, relics and things..."

  


Link stared at her, wondering what in the world she was getting at.

  


"Y'know, valuable stuff," Zelda rambled on, "ancient stuff, stuff from other worlds...goddess-marked stuff..."

  


Abruptly Link deciphered her meaning. "Oh, no you don't! No possible way you're selling my sword!"

  


"Oh, come on," Zelda whined. "It's valuable! _Really_ valuable! I'd give you a quarter of the profit!"

  


"Even if I _did_ let you sell it, you really think I'd take just a _quarter?"_

  


"Oh, all right. Half."

  


"It's not for sale."

  


"Sixty percent."

  


"It's not for sale!"

  


"Come on, you have no idea what you're cheating yourself out of!" Zelda argued. "It's _goddess-marked. _You have any idea how valuable that makes it? They say that Ganondorf destroyed every single thing that's goddess-marked in Hyrule. We'll make a _killing! _And you can always get another sword!"

  


"No, no, and no," Link said firmly. _"No,"_ he added as Zelda opened her mouth again. "That sword has been with me since I can remember. It's the only possession I have that's worth keeping. I won't sell it, not for any price."

  


Zelda sighed. "I should have just taken the sword and ran. I must be stupid or something."

  


"If you had, I would have come after you," Link said patiently.

  


She laughed. "Yes, and look how well that turned out the last time!"

  


"It was your choice to drag me along," Link pointed out.

  


Zelda grinned. "I concede. So are you sticking with us or not?"

  


"I'm no thief," Link warned.

  


"S'okay. We'll make use of you." Link wasn't sure he liked the gleam in Zelda's eye, but as he had no job and nowhere to go at the moment, he supposed he could do worse than stay by her side. _For a little while, anyway,_ he thought firmly, in case the forest spirit was listening.

  


"I'll stay," he told Zelda.

  


"Great!" Zelda said brightly. "C'mon, I'll introduce you to the crew."

  


They went first around to the front of the wagon, where two men sat side by side, driving a pair of oxen. One of them was a Hylian a year or two older than Link, tall and lanky, eyes and hair a reddish-brown, his tanned face dusted with freckles. The other, with blue-tinged skin and webbed hands and feet, was obviously a descendant of the Zora race. Both dressed in patched shirts and breeches, and the Zora went barefoot.

  


"Hello, boys," Zelda greeted them with a clap on each man's shoulder. "Meet the new guy. Link, this is Marek—" the Hylian reached over to shake Link's hand, nodding in greeting, "—and Parcleus." She indicated the Zora, who eyed Link mistrustfully.

  


"You didn't tell us we had a new member, Miss Zelda," Parcleus said gloomily.

  


"Well, I didn't know myself 'til a few minutes ago," Zelda said airily. "He's all right."

  


"I hope so," Parcleus said mournfully, switching the oxen lightly.

  


"He's a pessimist," Marek told Link lazily as he chewed a stalk of dried grass. "But he pickpockets and dives for treasure, so he's worth keeping on."

  


Next, Zelda led Link up a ladder onto the wooden roof of the wagon from which the canvases were hung, where three lookouts kept watch with telescopes. Link recognized Rune immediately, and the other two he knew vaguely from the show.

  


"This is Cleo, our announcer—" Link shook hands with an attractive women in her mid-twenties, her hair a vivid, flaming red and her eyes green like the canopy of the Lost Woods, "—and Dagger, a tumbler. You know Rune, of course."

  


Dagger beamed as she shook Link's hand. She was a short, slightly plump adolescent with frizzy black hair and sparkling brown eyes, her smile pearly-toothed and bright. "Finally, a good-looking man in our troupe!"

  


"There's plenty of gorgeous guys where he came from," Marek called from the driver's seat below.

  


"Where?" Dagger shot back. "I don't see any."

  


"Maybe your mirror's broken, Marek," Rune chimed in. "It's obviously showing you the wrong face."

  


Cleo smiled at Link. "Don't mind the girls." Her voice was low, musical and rich. "They come from the brothels, that's why they're like that."

  


"You too?" Link demanded of Dagger, shocked. "But you can't be more than sixteen years old!"

  


"Dagger used to live in Hylia City," Zelda said gently. "She's an orphan. It was the only way she could survive."

  


"But I'm fine now," Dagger said cheerfully. Link got the impression that she didn't want pity. "We all are. We get to eat as much as we want, and Miss Zelda spoils us rotten!"

  


"Only because you'd whine if I didn't," Zelda said hurriedly.

  


Link grinned at her. "Well, who'd have known? You're just a big ol' softie, aren't–" 

  


"Let's move on, shall we?" Zelda interrupted loudly, glaring at him.

  


They hopped down to the back of the wagon and pushed their way through the curtains. The blond-haired, green-eyed youth whom Zelda had shot at with her arrows and the brown-haired, blue-eyed teenager who was part of the sword routine were playing chess, the board laid out between them on a crate. In the shadows stood Impa, Zelda's second-in-command.

  


"Bolo, Oberon, meet Link." The two boys looked up long enough to say hello and quickly went back to their game, brows furrowed in concentration. Zelda turned to Impa. "This is my second-in-command, whom you…err…already met…" 

  


Link nodded, gazing at the woman with respect. She was at least a head taller than he and head and shoulders taller than Zelda, her body lean and hard-muscled, dressed in skin-tight clothes and a tunic with a strange red design embroidered on the front, like a ornamental eye weeping one large tear. Her face was elegant and youthful, but her silver hair and the lines around her mouth and eyes spoke of hardships and age. She looked to be about middle-aged, but the longer Link looked at her, the more uncertain he became. Her eyes still shocked him, the most vivid crimson, like fresh blood.

  


"Impa," Zelda began, "this is–"

  


"Wait." Impa regarded Link silently for a moment, her eyes locked on his. Link gazed at her as steadily as he could, trying not to blink. "I want to hear it from him."

  


"Hear what?" Zelda asked, puzzled.

  


"His name."

  


For a moment Link was silent, his gaze never wavering from Impa's. "Link," he said quietly at last.

  


Impa sighed. "As I feared. Well...I suppose you'll do."

  


Link looked at Zelda, bewildered, but the thief only shrugged.

  


"Miss Zelda!" A shout from outside caught their attention; it sounded like Rune. "Miss Zelda, you'd better come look at this!"

  


Zelda leapt from the wagon without hesitation and shimmied up the ladder. Link paused for a moment on the ground below and looked toward the trail behind them. In the distance he could see a dust cloud rapidly climbing the trail, drawing closer to them every moment. _Pursuers?_ he wondered.

  


He looked up toward the roof of the wagon. Zelda sat on its edge with a telescope to her eye. "Blue-shirts?" he asked.

  


"I don't think so," Zelda said absently. "They couldn't..." Suddenly she gasped. "Those are bandits!"

* * *

  


To be continued.


	4. Bandit Attack

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Hello, readers, thanks for stopping by. ^^ I'm sorry about the wait between the last chapter and this one, I had a lot of conflicts including a college orientation that prevented me from posting sooner than I would have liked. I also want to apologize for the shortness of this chapter–the next one is longer, and I'll try not to make the wait between too long. Thanks for reading!

  


***

  


Chapter 4

Bandit Attack

  


"Bandits?" Dagger echoed, sounding frightened.

  


"Why would bandits chase bandits?" Link asked, frowning.

  


"They're not our kind of bandits," Zelda said grimly. "They're completely lawless. Rich and poor, young and old, lawmen or thieves, they'll steal from anyone. And they don't mind shedding a little blood either." She closed the telescope with a decisive snap. "We can't outrun then. Everyone stay calm!" she ordered, raising her voice to a pitch that could be heard by all in and out of the wagon. "We've got bandits on our tail–about twenty of 'em! Marek and Parcleus, stop the oxen!" She leapt from her perch as the wagon slowed to a stop. "Lookouts off the roof, archers up! Everyone else grab a weapon and stand by!"

  


"You heard her, lambs!" came a roar that made Link start from inside the wagon. It was Impa. "Everyone out! Grab a weapon and get ready!"

  


Impa, Oberon, and Bolo spilled from the wagon carrying an assortment of weapons as the lookouts leapt down. Marek and Parcleus dashed around the sides of the wagon to take weapons and places. Link caught Zelda's arm before she could go anywhere.

  


"Give me my sword," he said urgently. "I'll fight with you."

  


"You! Boy!" It was Impa, carrying Link's sword, sheath and all, in one hand and Zelda's longbow and quiver in another. She tossed Link the sword as Zelda took her bow, slinging the quiver over her shoulder.

  


"Archers, with me!" Zelda ordered, scrambling up the ladder to the roof. Bolo, Marek, and Cleo followed her, armed with recurved bows. The rest of the thieves grouped themselves around the wagon with sword, axe, or glaive in hand. Link hesitated, then took his bow and quiver off his back, where they were normally hidden beneath his shield, and followed Zelda up the ladder.

He took a place at her side. The other archers crouched low on the roof, but Zelda, armed with a bow nearly as tall as she, was forced to stand.

  


"You any kind of shot?" Zelda demanded without questioning Link's presence at her side.

  


"I'm all right."

  


"Good enough." The bandits were now a few hundred yards away, galloping full-out on the path, men mounted on nimble ponies. All were armed with an axe or short sword, and some carried bows. "Pick your shots," Zelda ordered. "If you can't hit the man, hit the mount–they'll bring the rider down with 'em."

  


The bandits were in firing range at last. Arrows were nocked and bowstrings drawn left and right. Zelda set an arrow to her longbow and drew the string back to her ear. She and Link chose their targets.

  


"Fire at will!" Zelda cried.

  


Bowstrings snapped and arrows streaked through the air, burying themselves into men and mounts. Link and Zelda released at the same moment–Zelda's arrow struck her man in the shoulder, Link's in the throat.

  


"Nice shooting!" Zelda said in amazement. "You're really something!"

  


"I'm all right," Link corrected as he set another arrow and fired, hitting another man in the chest.

  


Zelda made a noise of disbelief and turned her attention back to their targets, firing five arrows in rapid succession, taking down three men and two horses. Link had to admire her skill, watching her out of the corner of her eye even as he fired shot after shot. _This is the woman I'm supposed to protect? _he wondered as Zelda calmly shot a bandit through his eye. 

  


Four horses were down, seven men dead, and thirteen still headed their way. Two of the men put arrows to their own small bows as they rode and took aim at the archers. Zelda shot one enemy archer through the chest, but the other's arrow was already streaking toward her.

  


Link threw himself at Zelda, knocking her away as the arrow streaked past. He felt a line of white-hot pain across his shoulder and knew the arrowhead had grazed him–he was just lucky it hadn't gone in.

  


"Are you okay?" Zelda demanded, noticing the tear in his tunic and the line of blood immediately. "Never mind–" She shoved in front of him and shot three more arrows into three more targets. "They're almost on us" she snapped. "Off the roof! Everyone, get ready for ground battle!"

  


The archers stayed to the sides of the wagon to slow the enemy while Zelda briefly examined Link's wound behind it. "Can you still fight?" she demanded tersely.

  


The arrow had grazed his left shoulder, but that was no problem. Link grinned, drawing his sword with his right hand. "Like a little scratch could stop me."

  


"Zelda!" Impa snapped. "They're on us!"

  


Zelda darted out in front of the wagon, followed by Link, as the enemy bore down on them, weapons at the ready. Drawing her dagger from its sheath at her waist, she let out a bloodcurdling war cry and threw herself at a bandit, dragging him off his horse and plunging her dagger into his chest.

  


Link crossed swords with another mounted bandit as the rest of the thieves entered the fray, the screech of metal on metal echoing around him. His bandit, an ugly, grinning bastard, drove him back with a forceful thrust and brought his sword up and down toward Link's head. He barely managed to block the attack. The bandit pressed down with his weight, but Link grabbed a small knife from his belt with his left hand, ignoring the pain in his injured shoulder, and stabbed it into flank of his bandit's mount. The horse wheeled, screaming, and Link cut swiftly across the bandit's back.

  


He didn't notice the man sneaking behind him until a pair of horse's hooves shot out of nowhere, kicking the bandit to the ground and stomping on his spine. Demon had broken loose of his tether. "Thanks, boy," Link said as he ran another bandit through.

  


The thieves made short work of the few bandits left. Finally the two surviving men broke and ran unmounted. Zelda snatched up her longbow and arrows where she had discarded them on the ground and coolly shot each man in the back, one after the other.

  


"Everyone okay?" she called, surveying the damage. It wasn't bad–Dagger sported a number of shallow scratches on her face and shoulders, and Oberon pressed a piece of cloth to a long gash on his thigh. "If you're wounded, Cleo will see to you in the wagon. Rune, I want you back on lookout duty. Watch out for _anything–_we never know if more might come after us_._ Parcleus, get the bandit's uninjured horses, we can sell 'em in town. Impa and Marek, build a pyre for the dead, and be quick about it. I want to get over this mountain before nightfall.

  


"You," she said abruptly, turning to Link. She looked at him for a moment, then smiled wryly and crooked a finger. "You come with me. We've got to get that scratch of yours treated."

  


She ordered him to sit on a crate outside the wagon while she fetched a vial of healing liquid and a roll of linen. "Shouldn't I see Cleo?" Link asked, sure that Zelda could be doing better things with her time.

  


"Cleo has patients to see already, and you _did_ take that wound for me." Zelda glared at him. "Are you going to get that tunic off or shall I do it for you?"

  


Link sighed and removed his tunic as Zelda soaked a piece of linen in healing liquid. He winced as she applied the disinfecting medicine to the long, but shallow, gash on his shoulder. "Did you really have to shoot the escaping bandits?" he asked her quietly.

  


"Yes, I did," she replied just as quietly. "One time in the desert we were attacked by a band like this one. We killed ten and let five escape–we thought we were safe. Later that night they returned with a company of fifty. We lost nearly all our cargo, five of our thieves were killed, and the rest of us barely escaped with our lives. I do what I have to do to ensure our survival."

  


"I'm sorry," Link said uncertainly.

  


Zelda only shrugged. "That's life." She started suddenly as Demon pushed his head against her back, but laughed when she saw the horse. "Sneaky little thing, aren't you? Don't worry, your master will be just fine." She finished bandaging Link's shoulder and clapped him on the back with a friendly grin. "Rides a horse, shoots a bow, uses a sword–_and_ he's ambidextrous! That Link, he's a useful one, all right!"

  


"Does that mean I'm officially inaugurated?" Link asked with a wry smile.

  


"You sure are!" Zelda exclaimed brightly. "Welcome to the Best Damn Thieves Around!"

* * *

  


To be continued.


	5. Scholar

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Hello, readers, thanks for not killing me about the wait between chapters. ^^; I know it's taking a while, I just get so busy and forget to post...well, no more excuses. I want to thank you all for the enthusiastic response this story has been getting; I never expected so much feedback for just four chapters. It's really great knowing someone out there is enjoying _The Destined,_ so thanks again. ^^

  


Enjoy Chapter 5!

  


***

  


Chapter 5

Scholar

  


They took the uninjured horses and the bandits' best weapons, but Zelda refused to loot the corpses.

"It's bad luck," she explained wisely to Link as they continued along the path to Bayside, eyes and ears keened to the signs of any more surprises. The two of them walked behind the wagon, keeping an eye on the tethered horses. "If you loot those you kill, the souls come back to haunt you. Besides, it's dishonorable."

  


"Honor among thieves, eh?" Link shook his head. "Who'd have thought it?"

  


Zelda glared at him. "Excuse me, but aren't you the warrior-for-hire?"

  


"Yes." Link paused a moment. "But I don't just take any job. I mean, I won't assassinate anyone or anything like that. Sometimes I go after wanted criminals, but mostly I do security work. You know, protection and that sort of thing."

  


Zelda looked at him sharply. "You mean someone hired you to protect me?"

  


"Huh?"

  


"You said during the fight in the bar that you were supposed to protect me!"

  


"I did?"

  


"What, did you think I'd forgotten?"

  


_"I'd_ forgotten." Link frowned. "I didn't mean to blurt that out."

  


Zelda stopped in the middle of the road and eyed him, hands on hips. The wagon moved on without them, but she didn't seem to care.

  


"Out with it," she ordered at last. "I think it's time I heard the whole story."

  


Link sighed. "Fine, but I'll warn you now, it's a strange one."

  


They took seats on a pair of rocks by the side of the road as Link recounted his meeting with the forest spirit as best he could. When he finished Zelda let out a long breath.

  


"Let me get this straight," she said evenly. "Some little girl you met in the woods told you to find me and protect me? With no apparent reason, motivation, or compensation?" She began to snicker. "And you listened to her?"

  


"Not at first," Link said, annoyed. "But she told me I could find you in Kakariko, and when I did...well..."

  


"What I want to know is, how does this girl know about me in the first place?" Zelda demanded, suddenly serious. "And why do I have to be involved in your weird schemes, anyway?"

  


"They're not _my_ weird schemes!"

  


"Well, whatever." Zelda stood and brushed dust off the seat of her breeches. "Heck, you're already inaugurated. But look–" She eyed him warily for a moment. "I don't need protection, okay? I can take care of myself."

  


"I know," Link replied, gazing steadily into her eyes. "But there are some things in this world from which you can't protect yourself alone."

  


Zelda's eyes widened sharply as though she were startled, but then a shout echoed down the road from the wagon: "Miss Zelda! Bayside is in sight!"

  


"Oh! Okay!" Zelda gave Link one last, odd look, then turned and darted after the wagon.

  


Link followed at a slower pace, shaking his head. _What in Din's name made me say that?_ he wondered.

* * *

  


They set up half a mile from the town, staking the wagon near the road and unhitching the oxen to roam and graze on the grassy hillsides at the foot of Death Mountain. A breeze blowing from the east carried the salty tang of the sea.

  


"Here we continue on foot," Zelda decreed as the thieves and Link gathered. "We'll split up into smaller groups so we don't garner much attention. Keep an eye out for blue-shirts. If you want to pick a few pockets I won't say no, but watch your step.

  


"Okay, I want the groups like this," she continued. "Marek, Dagger, and Cleo, you three are watching the cart–" She frowned as Marek and Dagger voiced disappointed groans. "Don't you start, it's your shift. Rune is with Parcleus. Bolo, you're with Oberon, and as for you, Link..." She smiled a bright, pearly–toothed smile. "Link, meet Impa!"

  


Link cast an apprehensive look at the formidable woman, who rolled her eyes at Zelda's proclamation. Intimidation aside, Link had the distinct feeling Zelda was attempting to distance herself from him. For some reason this distressed him.

  


"That's it," Zelda concluded. "We meet back at the wagon tomorrow at dawn. Have fun!"

  


The thieves split into their groups and headed on foot to the village, chattering and laughing. Link and Impa were left staring at each other.

  


At last Impa sighed. "Look, boy, I don't really care whether or not you stay with me. Just don't get in my way."

  


"My name is Link, not boy," Link informed her, determined not to be intimidated by her.

  


Impa raised a brow as if she thought he was being cute, then turned and headed toward the village without a glance back.

  


With nothing else to do, Link followed her. "What do you suppose Zelda's doing?" he wondered aloud.

  


Impa shrugged. "Whatever the head of a thieving troupe does in her spare time. Why do you care?"

  


"No reason," Link said slowly. "I was just wondering."

  


"Hm." Impa glanced back at him momentarily, her blood-red eyes regarding him thoughtfully.

  


"What?" Link demanded. "Why do I keep getting these weird looks?"

  


Impa's eyes glittered strangely. "You don't know, do you?"

  


Link felt a chill go up his spine. "Know what?"

  


For several long moments the two gazed at one another, as if each were waiting for something. At last Impa smiled mysteriously, turned, and walked calmly down the road again.

  


The hair on the back of his neck was prickling. Telling himself nothing abnormal had just occurred, Link followed the red-eyed woman.

* * *

  


Bayside was a village sprawled on the coast, comprised mainly of bamboo-walled, circular huts with straw roofs, built on stilts and primitive wooden walkways that extended out into the ocean. The rocky bay made for hard landings and the port farther north attracted most overseas visitors; Bayside was simply a poor farming village. Its people cultivated sugar cane in the fields and rice on the terrace paddies built up the mountain, barely meeting the demands for Ganondorf's ridiculous tributes while struggling to feed their own. In consequence most of the villagers hadn't two Rupees to rub together, let alone anything worth stealing. Except, of course, for the scholar who lived in the lighthouse just south of the village.

  


Then again, Zelda had always made it a rule not to steal from her friends. Instead of sneaking inside the lighthouse she took a more direct approach–the front door. Two loud, firm knocks summoned forth an irritable voice from inside the lighthouse.

  


"Yeah? Whaddya want?"

  


"Why, knowledge and wisdom, of course!" Zelda called brightly.

  


There was a silence, then abruptly the door flew open and Zelda was caught up in a bone-crushing hug. "Zelly! Ye old thief, welcome back!"

  


"What did I say about calling me Zelly?" Zelda gasped, wriggling free of the squeezing arms. Laughing, her old friend stepped back, giving her the chance to breathe. The round-bellied, thick-armed Goron had likely once been the strongest of warriors, but in his old age dedicated himself to the wealth of books and age-old manuscripts in his overflowing library. His beetle-black eyes were sharp and bright with intelligence, his wide mouth stretched into a welcoming smile. His head was as bald as a newborn's, but the wrinkles in his tough, leathery hide spoke of hardships and age.

  


Zelda grinned. "Yorgun, you haven't changed a bit. How've you been, you old rock?"

  


"Eh, well enough, well enough. How 'bout ye?" Yorgun fixed her with his sharp stare. "Ye been stayin' outta trouble?"

  


Zelda grinned. "Of course."

  


"Good! Here, have a seat–"

  


He shoved a pile of books off of a chair and offered it to Zelda, who carefully sat. There was barely a clear surface to be seen in the old lighthouse. Bookshelves stuffed with books and manuscripts concealed nearly ever inch of the circular, stone walls; scrolls and pieces of parchment littered the floor. There was a single table and two chairs in the middle of the room, covered with still more books and parchment.

  


"Would ye like some tea?" Yorgun asked, doubled over as he shoved through a pile of books on the floor. Zelda glanced around, unable to spot tea bricks, kettles, cups, or even a hearth, for that matter.

  


"Don't trouble yourself. I'm not staying for long anyway."

  


"Aye." Yorgun straightened with a groan. "Yer always runnin' off on some adventure with yer band o' thieves. So what kin I do fer ye?"

  


"I found an item recently and I was wondering if you had anything on it. A sword."

  


"A sword, eh?" Yorgun began searching through his books again. "Go on then, what's it look like?"

  


"Well–" Zelda hesitated, thinking. "It's a very ordinary design, probably a thousand others almost exactly like it–only this one's goddess-marked."

  


Yorgun abruptly straightened and stared at her, wide-eyed. "Did ye say–did ye say goddess-marked?" he asked timidly. His eyes grew slowly wider and rounder. "Might I see it?"

  


Zelda shook her head sadly. "The owner refuses to part with it. I pulled all my tricks, believe me," she added.

  


"Oh." Yorgun looked disappointed for a moment, then brightened. "Well, that narrows it down. One thing there was never much of was a goddess-marked weapon. Gimme a moment–" 

  


Zelda nodded quickly, eager to see Yorgun work his magic. The old Goron closed his eyes.

  


_"Goddess of wisdom and truth," _he intoned, _"show me the knowledge I seek."_

  


Zelda had to duck as a book abruptly flew off a bookcase, thumping solidly into Yorgun's outstretched hand. "Well, who'da thought that such a creaky ol' spell still works?" the Goron said gleefully, flipping through the pages of the book.

  


Zelda leaned forward so she could read the title. _"The Chronicles of Fate? _What's that about?"

  


Yorgun shrugged. "Ne'er read it. Too many books in me library to read."

  


"Why do you have them then, if you don't read them?" Zelda wanted to know.

  


Yorgun gave her a look as if she were being dense. "For _knowledge."_

  


"Oh. Of course," Zelda agreed as the old Goron thumbed through the book.

  


"Lessee...ahah." Yorgun thumped the book down onto the table in front of Zelda and pointed to a charcoal sketch on the yellowing, faded page. "This yer sword?"

  


Zelda stared at the picture and gasped. "Why–that's exactly it!" It was, right down to the small Triforce mark beneath the hilt. Peering at the caption, she read aloud, "The Master Sword. Is that its name?"

  
  


"Master Sword, eh?" Yorgun took the book back and stared at it, frowning. "I coulda sworn I've heard that somewhere before...ach, maybe I'm just gettin' senile."

  


"Well, I wouldn't deny that." Zelda swiped the book from Yorgun's hands. "Listen, can I borrow this?"

  


Yorgun looked at her sharply. "Ye gonna return it, then?" 

  


"Of course! I mean, you know, eventually. Dunno when I'll be back in Bayside."

  


"Well, s'long as it gets back to me someday. By the way, how's yer studyin' goin'?"

  


Zelda shrugged. "Okay, I guess. It's hard to come by books."

  


"Well, in that case, I'll lend ye another o' mine." Yorgun stepped carefully over a pile of scrolls to get to one of his bookcases, where he took down a very old, very dusty book. He waded through the mess and gave it to Zelda.

  


Zelda glanced at the title. _"The Art of War?"_

  


"Aye. It's about–"

  


"Making war?"

  


"Nay, it's about–"

  


"The _art_ of making war?"

  


"Nay! The strategies of warmakin' are the same as the strategies of livin', see? It don' tell ye how to make war, it tells ye how to conquer the world."

  


"Really?" Zelda sifted through the book, her curiosity piqued. "But no one can conquer the world with Ganondorf in power."

  


"Aye, but he won't be in power forever, ye mark my words," Yorgun said with certainty. "Tyrants don' stay in power fer long. Ye read any history book, it'll tell ye the same."

  


Zelda would have liked to believe that. "Well, thanks anyway for the books, Yorgun. I'll get 'em back to you."

  


"Yer goin' already?" the Goron said unhappily.

  


"I have to," Zelda said apologetically. "It's dangerous to stay here for long, The blue-shirts were looking for us just a town over."

  


Yorgun shook his head. "They wouldn't if ye wasn't always gettin' in trouble. But eh, nothin' doin'. Ye watch yer step, aye?"

  


Zelda nodded and shifted the books in her arms so that she could extend a hand. "I will, Yorgun. It was nice seeing you again."

  


Yorgun looked at her hand, then squeezed her in a hug again. "Take care o' yerself, Zelly."

  


"Oh, none of that Zelly business, all right?" Zelda hugged him back affectionately, then wriggled free. "I'll see you again."

  


She turned to go, but suddenly a voice rang out from behind her. _"When you return here at last, you will be as the goddesses themselves."_

  


Zelda whirled around. "What did you say?" she gasped.

  


"Eh?" Yorgun blinked at her. "Sorry, I musta dozed off there–"

Zelda stared at him uncertainly, the back of her neck prickling. She could have sworn the voice had been that of a woman.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	6. The Master Sword

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Welcome to another chapter, folks! ^^ I've been writing this story pretty madly lately, something like four chapters in two days or less. I also beat Wind Waker pretty recently and now I feel rather Zelda-deprived. Maybe that's why I've been working on this story so obsessively. Well, whatever, I'm just rambling so I'll end this little note. Here's Chapter 6. ^^

  


***

  


Chapter 6

The Master Sword

  


Somehow Link found himself seated in front of yet another bar, this time with Impa at his side. There was no inn in Bayside, only a small pub built of bamboo walls and a thatched roof, from which water–at least, he hoped it was water–occasionally dripped.

  


Impa ordered whiskey and a shot glass. "I'll have what she's having," Link told the tender in the spirit of companionship.

  


Impa eyed him dolefully. "You don't drink much, do you, boy?"

  


"Not much," Link admitted as the tender placed a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses before them.

  


Impa filled a shot glass halfway and passed it to him with a smile. "Bottoms up."

  


Agreeably Link raised his glass and drank–and nearly choked as the liquid seared his throat, burning all the way down to his belly. "Farore's mercy," he managed to gasp, coughing. The glass still had a few drops left, so he gamely downed the rest.

  


Impa's grin broadened as she poured a shot for herself. "I like you, kid."

  


"Thanks." Link watched jealously as Impa downed an entire glass without even a hiccup. 

  


"More?" the Sheikah offered him. Link hesitated, then nodded for her to fill up his glass.

  


"So," he asked tentatively during careful sips of the fiery liquor, "where'd you meet Zelda?"

  


"I've known her her entire life," Impa replied, taking another swig. "I was at her mother's side when she gave birth." 

  


"Who was her mother?" Link asked curiously.

  


Impa paused for a moment, staring distantly into space. "Her mother was a great woman. A powerful, dignified, graceful woman. But then she fell in love." Impa downed the rest of her glass. "And now she's dead."

  


"Because of love?"

  


"Yes."

  


"How can love kill?"

  


Impa looked at him sidelong, her lips curving into a smile. "Love of any form is dangerous. You mark my words, boy. One day you'll know." She sighed, placing her glass down on the counter. "Zelda's mother left her daughter in my care and went to die for love. That was the end of the greatest woman I ever knew."

  


Link was silent for a moment, mulling it over, but it was beyond his comprehension. "What about Zelda's father?" he ventured at last.

  


"Dead. Her parents knew when death was coming for them. That's why they named me as Zelda's guardian. Because I have a tendency to elude death."

  


Link could not make head nor tail of this, so he asked, "How did Zelda end up becoming a thief?"

  


"I taught her," Impa replied with a shrug. "Outlaws have it easiest in this world." She glanced at him. "If you're so interested in her, shouldn't you be asking Zelda these questions?"

  


"I-I'm not so interested in her," Link muttered. "I'm just curious, that's all. Besides, if I asked her anything, I don't think...I don't think she'd tell me the answer."

Impa shrugged again. "Maybe. Or maybe she'd surprise you."

  


The door of the bar flew open before Link could reply, and two of Zelda's thieves walked in. Oberon was a tall, broad-shouldered adolescent with curly brown hair and cornflower blue eyes, while his counterpart Bolo stood only to his shoulder, his pale blond hair flopping over his forehead and into bright green eyes. Both wore frayed cotton shirts and patched breeches.

  


"Impa!" Oberon cried as he saw her, seizing her hand and attempting a yearning stare. "My life was but a dreary daze until the moment I saw the light in thine eyes!"

  


"Why do I get the feeling you say that to all the girls?" Impa asked dryly, tugging her hand from his grasp.

  


Oberon smiled. "Well, dear lady, it does make me rather popular with the fair sex," he admitted.

  


The moment he saw Link, Bolo marched over to him and glared at him accusingly. "Stay away from Miss Zelda," the youth ordered.

  


Link stared at him, surprised not only by his remark but by his bold directness. "I'm sorry?"

  


"You heard me. Stay away from Miss Zelda, or else." Bolo's eyes narrowed. _"I'll_ protect her."

  


Link raised his eyebrows, looking the youth over. "No offense, kid, but you don't look like you could protect much."

  


"You wanna bet?" Bolo cried in outrage, reaching for a small knife on his belt.

  


"Hold it!" Impa's hand clamped over Bolo's wrist before he could touch the weapon. "You know the rules," she said evenly, giving Bolo a warning look. "No fighting amongst ourselves."

Bolo yanked his hand away and pointed at Link. _"He's_ not one of us! He isn't even a thief! He's just an outsider!"

  


"If you have a problem, take it up with Zelda," Impa ordered sharply. "Or I'll make sure she knows you were starting trouble!"

  


Bolo flinched. "Fine," he said after a moment's pause, throwing another dirty look at Link. "I'll talk to Miss Zelda." He turned and stomped out the bar, slamming the door shut behind him.

  


"You wouldn't think it, but the kid's got a nasty temper, eh?" Oberon said to Link in a friendly manner.

  


"No kidding," Link said dryly, shaking his head.

  


"Well, don't let it get to you. He's got no place to say anything." Oberon waved and followed Bolo out of the bar.

  


"Maybe he _does_ have a place," Link said to Impa worriedly. "I mean, sometimes I'm not even sure what I'm doing here."

  


Impa sighed. "Bolo, he..." 

  


"Yeah?"

  


"Well...it was about five months ago, and we were traveling in the mountain region southwest, near Gerudo Valley. Zelda strayed away from the wagon and didn't come back. We didn't know what had happened to her, but when we went out to investigate the next morning, we found an entire portion of the cliff had collapsed into the canyon."

  


"Farore's mercy," Link gasped. "Did you find her?"

  


Impa shook her head. "Apparently she was caught in the collapse and was badly injured. Bolo–he used to drive herds of desert sheep in the canyon–found her barely alive and nursed her back to health. She has a few bad scars on her back and one below her ribcage to show for it. We thought she was dead, but eventually Zelda caught up with us and Bolo came with her." Impa shrugged. "The kid can't do anything and he has a temper, but Zelda has a soft spot for him. And Bolo's _very_ protective of her. You have competition, young man."

  


"I have absolutely no desire to compete with anyone over Zelda," Link said frankly. "If Bolo wants to protect her, he's welcome to. Goddesses know she doesn't need _me."_

  


"Oh?" Impa gave Link a knowing look. "Then why are you still here?"

  


"Sometimes I wonder," Link muttered.

  


Impa stood and stretched with a groan. "I'm getting too old for this life. Look, boy, if you don't care to be here, then leave. No one is stopping you."

  


"But..." Link hesitated, searching for the right words. "There might be a reason I should stay."

  


Impa raised her eyebrows. "Might be? Or is?" She shook her head. "Your will is your own. Decide the reason for yourself." She patted his shoulder. "See you back at the wagon, or not."

  


The woman left at an easy, unhurried pace.

  


Link sighed. "Choices," he muttered aloud. What choice did he ever have? He'd been caught up in this adventure before he even realized it.

There was no point in hanging around the bar, so he left as well. But then he wasn't sure where he should go, so he ended up wandering around the village for a while, thinking. He supposed there really was no reason for him to stay among the thieves, and it was time to move on. After all, he didn't believe in destiny and he certainly did _not_ blindly follow the designs of creepy little girls who lived in forests.

  


The problem was that leaving the thieves meant returning to a life of wandering. He hated it, the feeling of loneliness, of discontentment. There was no purpose for a young man with no family, friends, or home.

  


_Other than, of course, whatever it is I've been searching for,_ he thought, pausing on the beach below the stilted houses to look at the ocean. 

  


A figure closer to the sea caught his eye. Someone standing still in the surf, a sad, lonely figure stark against the wide arc of the sea.

  


Link felt a prickling on the back of his neck. The strangest sensation was coming to him, a feeling that made no sense...a feeling that told him the person in front of him was the something he had been searching for all his life.

  


His legs moved as if they had a mind of their own, carrying him down the shore. Hearing his approach, the figure turned. Midnight-blue eyes widened.

  


Zelda blinked at him in surprise. "Link?"

  


His sudden feeling about her seemed suddenly stupid. Still...

  


"Zelda, do you..."

  


She blinked at him, cocking her head to the side. He noticed that she carried a pair of thick, leather-bound books in her arms and briefly wondered where they'd come from. "Do I what?"

  


Link sighed. The whole thing seemed ridiculous now; regardless, he plowed ahead. "Do you ever get the feeling that we've met somewhere before?"

  


Zelda cocked her head to the other side, bird-like, and Link almost laughed. "Do you?" she asked, frowning.

  


"I don't know," Link admitted. "Sometimes I think maybe, but then I think maybe I'm just crazy."

  


Zelda smiled. "Maybe we met in another life."

  


It was Link's turn to blink at her. "Sorry?"

  


The thief shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy too. But all things are possible, right?" She shifted the books in her arms and opened one volume. "Here, take a look at this."

  


She sifted through the pages until she found what she was looking for and handed the volume over to him. Link took it and stared at a perfect picture of his sword, right down to the goddess mark below its hilt.

  


"What is this?" he said in amazement.

  


Zelda shrugged. "I wondered about your sword. It's not often I stumble across a goddess-marked weapon, you know. So I went to a scholar friend of mine–he lives in the lighthouse down the beach–and he found it in that book." Her finger skimmed over the page, pointing out the caption below the picture. "Apparently it's called the Master Sword. Did you know?"

  


"I didn't," Link admitted, raising his eyes to meet hers.

  


She gazed at him solemnly. "Link, where did you get that sword?"

  


Link hesitated. The tale was a strange one, exactly why he didn't share it with many people. Zelda seemed to sense his hesitation. She took her book back into her small hands with obvious disappointment. "It's okay, you know."

  


But she met his eyes again with her midnight blues, and the story spilled from his lips before he could stop it.

  


"I didn't find it, really...I mean, I've always had the feeling that it found me, if that makes any sense. It was five years ago." Link was silent for a moment as memories welled inside of him. "I was just a boy then, but I needed money badly, so I took a job to track down a wanted criminal. The man was crazy enough to run off into Hyrule Field–and I was crazy enough to follow him."

  


Zelda gasped. "You didn't!"

  


"I did," Link said grimly. "I never even caught sight of my quarry. Barely half a mile in I was ambushed by monsters–lizards, I think. They were crazy, half-starved, desperate for blood. I only had a standard sword, but what could I do? I fought them, but one of them severed the weapon in half with its own. So I ran."

  


Memory took him again–rain pouring in icy sheets; a black sky torn apart by jagged bolts of lightning. Running, stumbling, starving beasts scrabbling at his heels. Zelda's cool voice cut across the memories like a knife.

  


"What then?"

  


Link blinked and shed his trance. "I tripped and fell–and _it_ was there. I swear it appeared out of nowhere, sticking out of the dirt. I grabbed it–I had no other choice–and fought them. Somehow I managed to strike down every last one of them." He shook his head, still amazed by the event. "Then I ran like mad until I reached the edge of the field, and the sword has been with me ever since."

  


Zelda watched him in silence for a moment with that intent, calculating gleam that he didn't like. "That is quite a story," she said at last.

  


"I suppose it is," he said shortly, abruptly irritated with her. 

  


"It almost seems–" He had the sudden feeling that she was choosing her words very deliberately, "–like _destiny,_ doesn't it?"

  


"You mean like everything else that's happened since I met that damned forest girl?" Link snapped.

  


_"Exactly," _Zelda concluded triumphantly, startling him.

  


"You definitely don't seem like the type to believe in destiny," Link informed her, too surprised to be irritated anymore.

  


Zelda smiled. "Well, Rune always says that my feet are so firmly planted on the ground, I should set down roots. But I try to keep an open mind. It comes in handy, you know?"

  


"Then you really think...?"

  


"I might," she said with a shrug. "And if my hunch is right, then this book definitely has something to do with all this." She closed her book with a snap and showed him the title. 

  


_"The Chronicles of Fate," _Link read in disbelief.

  


"Indeed." Zelda smiled again. "I am going to read this book from cover to cover, and maybe then we'll finally have some answers."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	7. Training with the Thieves

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


This will probably be my last updated chapter before The Big Move, or rather, my transition from home to college. Once I'm there, however, I'll have a super-fast and best of all FREE internet connection at my disposal, so no reason I won't be able to continue updating. ^^ Expect another chapter sometime during the coming weekend, probably.

  


You may have noticed that I'm updating quicker than usual lately. That would be because my writer's block appears to have left me (for the time being, anyway) and I'm plowing through chapters at light speed. Don't take this as a indication of anything though, please. As I'm sure everyone here knows, writer's block has a nasty habit of coming back again and again. -.- 

  


Oh well. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the story. ^^

  


***

  


Chapter 7

Training with the Thieves

  


The next morning the thieves set out again, heading south along the coast. Zelda curled up in the wagon, deeply immersed in her book–the other book.

  


_"The Art of War?" _a voice demanded. Zelda glanced up over the rim of the book into Link's scowling face. 

  


"It tells you how to conquer the world!" Zelda informed him enthusiastically.

  


He made a face. "I _thought _you were going to read that _Chronicle _whatsis." 

  


"I am." Zelda buried her nose in the book again. "This one first."

  


"Don't bother, boy," Impa said dryly from across the wagon, where she sat immersed in a game of dice with Dagger and Marek. "Once she starts reading you have to bang pots in her ears to distract her. She's like her mother, in that respect."

  


Zelda glanced up over the rim of the book again, examining Impa with interest. Her second-in-command was right about her–only certain subjects could manage to distract her, and her mother was one of them. Impa seemed very reluctant to talk about her mother, limiting herself only to pensive comments and comparisons. Even now the woman carefully avoided Zelda's gaze, her head bent as she watched the next dice roll.

  


Zelda sighed. She'd learned long ago that it was impossible to coerce any information out of the very obstinate Impa, so trying now would be pointless.

  


She returned to her book for another hour or so, hardly noticing the activities of the thieves as they drifted in and out of the moving wagon, switching watch and driver shifts. Somewhere around noon Impa gave the order to halt the wagon. Zelda put her book away and crept out of the wagon, stretching a cramped back. 

  


The other thieves followed, balking at the sight of the spacious, flat, grassy plain beside the road on the cliffs above the sea. "Well, this is nice," Zelda said cheerily, ignoring groans and disgruntled mutters. "Perfect place for training. Whose turn is it to lead us?"

  


No one seemed to want to answer. At last Dagger supplied miserably, "Impa's."

  


The Sheikah smiled thinly.

  


"Okay then," Zelda said brightly. "Impa, why don't you get us started?"

  


"What about him?" Impa asked bluntly, jerking a thumb in Link's direction, who lounged in the grass beside the wagon. He glanced up as they all turned to stare at him.

  


"What?"

  


"Training," Parcleus replied glumly.

  


"Sorry?"

  


Bolo rolled his eyes. "Lazy. I knew it."

  


Zelda shot a warning look at him. "He just joined. He doesn't know how we do things." To Link she explained, "We do training sessions on the road every day, if we can manage it. Yesterday's bandits were training enough," she added, and the thieves agreed vigorously. "We take turns leading everyone else in basic combat exercise. It's Impa's turn today–"

  


"She rides us with a whip and chain," Marek muttered under his breath.

  


Unfortunately for him, Impa had heard. "Was that a complaint?" she demanded, marching over to glare into Marek's eyes. "I don't want to hear it! Today you're my herd, so you train how I want to, with no complaints, got it?" She raised her voice so that it pitched over the entire group. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed those bandits attacking us yesterday. Training keeps us alive, lambs! Thank the goddesses for prodding Zelda to create these training sessions, as soft as she is on you–"

  


"Stop, Impa, you're making me blush," Zelda said, pretending to fan herself.

  


"Everyone here trains, and no one complains," Impa concluded ominously, glaring at them all to make sure the lesson stuck. She then cast a very meaningful glance at Link.

  


He raised his hands appeasingly as he jogged over to join their group. "I'm not arguing."

  


"Good." Impa smiled wickedly. "Get running, lambs. Run like the wolves are after you."

  


The Sheikah put them through their paces, first by having them jog around the field until they were ready to collapse, then a bout of stretches. After that came hand-to-hand combat, self-defense, sword, dagger, and axe work, and archery using flimsy paper targets tacked up on trees. Back and forth Impa went down their line, yelling like a drill instructor. They'd all learned long ago to jump at her lion's roar.

Zelda participated in every activity without complaint, knowing that the thieves were less likely to grumble if she did everything alongside them. Impa spared her no more than she did anyone else, telling her first that her punches and kicks were softer than butter, then informing her that a child with a wooden sword could handle himself better than she in sword combat. At least in archery Impa had nothing to yell about. Wielding her enormous longbow, Zelda hit her target dead center every time.

She was surprised to see that Link's arrows were a bit more spread out. Perhaps he saved his skills for combat. Impa, pausing to watch his work, shook her head in disgust.

  


"My grandma shot better than you!" she bellowed, making Link jump. "You might as well take that string and floss your teeth with it!"

  


Zelda watched Link out of the corner of her eye to see how he would react, and was pleased to see that he merely gritted his teeth and kept shooting. Impa caught her looking.

  


"GET BACK TO PRACTICE!"

"Yes ma'am," Zelda replied quickly, obeying.

  


* * *

  


Later Impa paired them all up, including herself, for one-on-one sword combat. Link found himself facing off with Bolo, who scowled at him, and sighed inwardly. It seemed Bolo was in no hurry to make peace between them. 

  


Impa gave the order to begin. To Link's relief, Bolo didn't seem to want to try anything with Impa standing right next to him in the line. He and Link politely traded blows and blocks at Impa's command. The kid's technique wasn't bad, Link thought, but his stance was off–the right blow would knock him off his feet easily. Link resisted the urge to tell him so; he had a feeling Bolo would not welcome the advice.

  


Impa had no such qualms. "Your stance is weak!" she bellowed at Bolo after a few moments. "Correct it!" Red-faced, Bolo moved his feet into the right position, then glared at Link as if daring him to comment. Link kept his face carefully bland.

  


After about fifteen minutes, Impa gave the order to halt. She let the thieves rest for a few minutes, then paired them off again with different opponents. Soon only she and Link were left.

  


"This is free combat," Impa announced. "Fight under your own discretion. You won't always have me to give the commands." She crooked her finger at Link, beckoning him to stand before her in the line.

  


"You're better than everyone here at the sword," she informed him in a low voice, her red eyes gleaming in a way he didn't like. "Let's see how you do against me, boy."

  


Link swallowed. _I'm in trouble_. 

  


"Begin!" Impa commanded.

  


Instantly she flew at him, arching her sword up over her head and down at him with a godlike speed. Link barely brought his blade up in time to block hers. She backed him out of the line with a flurry of chops and slices, steel whirling through the air as the screech of metal on metal echoed around them. Link forgot about everything else as he fought to keep up with Impa's furious strikes, each time stopping them within a hair's width of his body. _Okay, _he thought grimly, _time to get serious._

  


When Impa arched her sword up and down again, he met it and slid his blade into hers, locking them together at the hilt. This was a mistake–Impa was taller, stronger, and heavier than him, and used her advantage in weight to bear down. Link's arms shook with the effort of keeping her blade away.

  


"Come on, boy," Impa whispered, her face shining with sweat. "You're never going to get anywhere if you can't defeat little old me. Think. There must be some way out of this."

  


Link thought. He hated to resort to dirty methods, but something told him Impa wouldn't fault him for doing so. With a quick, abrupt movement Link ducked under the locked blades–Impa lost her balance and stumbled forward–and rammed his shoulder into her belly. She gave a short gasp as Link twisted away from her, freeing his sword and driving it directly at her heart–

  


Impa deflected it in a sweeping arc and thrust the point of her sword at his throat. There she stopped, pressing the sword point lightly into his flesh.

  


"Good," she said with a crooked smile. "Very good. You might have something here, boy."

  


She took her sword away and Link drew in a long breath. Abruptly he became aware that they had an audience–all of the thieves, even Zelda, had stopped their own exercise to watch his duel with Impa openmouthed.

Impa also noticed the onlookers. "Something for you?" she asked calmly. Instantly there was a flurry of movement, but the Sheikah waved a hand dismissively. "Never mind. We're done for the day."

  


An audible sigh of relief went up, and thieves collapsed left and right to the grass. Link was with them–he felt exhausted, and his body was aching all over. 

  


"Impressive display," a familiar voice said. Link looked to his right. Zelda knelt beside him, offering a water flask.

  


"Thanks," Link said, surprised. He took the flask and gulped down as much water as he could hold.

  


When he was done Zelda took the flask back and regarded him seriously. "That was absolutely incredible. Where the hell did you learned to fight like that?"

  


Link stared at her. "Incredible? I didn't even get a chance to strike!"

  


"No one beats Impa," Zelda insisted. "In fact, everyone loses within about two seconds. I've fought her before–I have a scar on my shoulder to show for it. But you blocked every one of her blows like they were nothing!"

  


"Not the last one," Link pointed out.

  


Zelda shook her head. "Even so, that was unbelievable. Where on earth did you learn?"

  


Link gazed at the sword in his lap, tracing the outline of the goddess-mark below its hilt. "I didn't," he said at length. "There was no one to teach me. I guess I just taught myself–sword fighting has always come naturally to me."

  


Zelda shook her head again, smiling wryly. "You really are a piece of work, aren't you?"

  


"What do you mean?"

  


"Nothing, really. It's just...I've never met anyone like you. You keep surprising me, to the point that I wonder how you'll surprise me next."

  


"Not too unpleasantly, I hope," Link kidded.

  


Zelda smiled, her eyes meeting his directly. For a moment Link's breath caught in his throat; he blinked, surprised at himself.

  


"I'd better go help with dinner," she said apologetically, standing. Across the clearing, Link could see Cleo, Marek, and Parcleus building a fire. "See you later."

  


Link watched her as she retreated, then lay back in the grass, gazing up at the darkening sky. It was just the exercise that made his heart hammer in his chest, he told himself. Nothing more.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	8. Gerudo Twins

A note from the Hime no Argh herself— 

I made the transfer—I'm actually in college! o.o It's so surreal to think that this campus is my home for the next four years. I'm at a computer lab right now because there's a virus going through the residence hall system, which means I can't hook my PC up until sometime this week when the problem is fixed. Other than that, college is a blast so far. ^_^ Thanks to all the nice people who wished me good luck in the transition!

***

Chapter 8

Gerudo Twins

Three days later the wagon rumbled into the town of Merchantsboon, where the thieves staged their next operation. There was a rich dealer in town who collected all sorts of artifacts, and the Best Damn Thieves Around planned to infiltrate his home at midnight and take all they could.

They parked the wagon outside of town by the main road and gathered around it shortly past sunset. "Two of us will stay behind and guard the wagon," Zelda ordered, her voice low so that no passerby would overhear. "One is Link, of course, because he's a good boy, not a thief." She batted her eyes at Link, who grinned. "The rest of us will draw straws. Short straw guards the wagon with Link." She offered a group of yellow straws in her fist.

The thieves all drew them until Zelda held just one. "Okay," she said brightly, opening her hand. "And the person who stays behind is..." She blinked at the short straw. "Me. Okay then."

"But you never stay behind, Miss Zelda," Dagger protested.

"The straw has spoken, Dagger," Zelda replied solemnly. "We must not contest the will of the straw."

"But–"

"Impa will command you," Zelda interrupted, ignoring the soft groans. "I expect a nice bounty, so don't disappoint me. Off you go!"

The thieves melted away into the night, leaving Zelda and Link behind. They looked at each other for a moment, then a mischievous smile spread slowly over Zelda's lips.

"The wagon needs painting," she announced triumphantly.

Link made a face at her. "So paint it."

Zelda placed her hands on her hips and mock-glared at him. "Have you ever heard the phrase, 'earn your keep'? If you expect us to keep feeding you, you'd better start helping out!"

"I helped out with the bandits," Link pointed out. "And the blue-shirts."

"I won't stand for your insubordination!" Zelda bellowed in an uncanny impression of Impa. "Get to work, lamb, or I'll put you to the slaughter!" She snickered, unable to keep a straight face.

"You're not bad at that," Link informed her, grinning.

"Well, I've been around Impa a long time," Zelda acknowledged, grinning back. "Too long, if you ask me."

The scuffling of footsteps on the dirt road caught their attention just then, and Zelda and Link turned. A figure was making its way toward their wagon from the direction of the town, wrapped head to toe in a hooded burnoose. Zelda slowly drifted toward the wagon where the weapons were kept, her movements casual, her sharp gaze anything but. Link knew she suspected the stranger was a law officer.

Sure enough, the stranger stopped beside their wagon. A polite voice with a hint of an accent issued from beneath the hood. "Pardon me, are you peddling wares?"

Zelda exchanged a glance with Link. "What are you looking for?" she replied just as politely.

"A sword," the voice replied. It sounded distinctly feminine. "A particular sword."

"What does it look like?"

The figure hesitated a moment before replying, and Link had the strange feeling she was watching him. "It is a double-edged blade with a small, golden goddess mark engraved below the hilt. I believe it is called the Master Sword."

"I apologize," Zelda said without a bat of an eye. "I've never heard of it."

"Oh. I thank you." The figure bowed and moved on.

"That was strange," Link muttered to Zelda when the stranger was well on her way.

Zelda watched her retreat in silence, then abruptly met his eyes. "Let's follow her."

"What? Why?"

"If that was an innocent customer I'll eat my longbow," Zelda replied grimly. "She was definitely up to something."

"But what about the wagon?"

"It'll be fine on its own for a while. C'mon." Zelda was already following after the stranger, darting from tree to tree alongside the road to avoid being seen.

They followed the stranger about a hundred yards down the main road, then abruptly she took a turn into thick woods. It was easier to track her amongst the trees, where thick foliage hid them, but they had to be wary of dried leaves and twigs.

"How much farther do you want to keep following her?" Link murmured to Zelda.

"Just a little," she whispered back, her eyes lit with a predatory gleam. "Just until we see what she's up to."

The woman finally paused in a clearing and gave a sudden trill that sounded like the cry of a raptor. "A desert hawk?" Zelda murmured, frowning.

A second hooded figure jumped down from the trees across the clearing. "Well?" the new arrival demanded. She was also obviously a female.

"It's definitely them," their quarry murmured in a low voice. "He has the sword. I'm sure of it."

"Did you get a good glance, or–" Abruptly the second figure stopped speaking. Zelda and Link froze, barely daring to breathe. Moonlight glittered on something as the second figure shifted her cloak, then suddenly a flash of steel bolted straight at them.

Link grabbed Zelda's arm and yanked her back out of the path of the incoming weapon. A gleaming scythe attached to a chain embedded itself into a tree behind them.

"Come on out, don't be shy," one of the women called in a mocking, sing-song voice. Zelda stepped out from the trees, her dark eyes flashing.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "What do you want?"

Link placed himself beside her, drawing the Master Sword. "That's it!" their quarry squealed to her companion. "I told you he had it!"

The second figure gave her chain a tug. The scythe slipped from the tree and whirled through the air back into the hand of its mistress. She threw off her cloak as her companion did the same.

They were a pair of twin Gerudo, identical down to every feature but for the golden, snakelike tattoos spiraling up the arms of the one with the scythe. Pairs of slanting emerald eyes were shared in the elegant, proud faces of the two young women; long, crimson hair was tied behind their heads and held in place with jeweled clips. The sisters wore the sleeveless midriffs and full, billowy leggings favored by the Gerudo, theirs a bright scarlet that matched the hue of their hair perfectly. 

"I'm Azura," the tattooed one announced imperiously, "and this is my sister, Arjuna." Arjuna grinned at them, revealing a mouth full of pearly white teeth, as she took hold of the twin scimitars at her waist. "Hand over the Master Sword like a good boy and girl and you won't be hurt."

"How do you know about this sword?" Link demanded, his hand tightening on the hilt. "Why do you want it?"

Azura snickered. "Ignorant fools. _He _will kill you soon, to be sure, but if you give us the sword now we'll let you live, for a little while at least."

"And who exactly is he?" Zelda inquired, her eyes glittering dangerously.

"They don't know about him _or_ the sword," Arjuna informed Azura contemptuously. "They don't even know who they are." 

"Fools like you don't deserve to live," Azura spat at Zelda and Link. "For our master's convenience we'll murder you now!" She hurled her scythe at them. Link deflected it with a single sword strike; it fell to the dirt. Zelda calmly placed her foot on it.

Azura yanked hard on the chain, but Zelda maintained her balance and held the scythe in place. "Bitch," the Gerudo snarled at her. Zelda merely smiled.

"Enough," Arjuna snapped, brandishing her scimitars in a manner that suggested she knew how to use them. "The girl is unarmed and the boy has only the sword," she informed her sister. "They're easy prey."

Zelda cursed. When Link glanced at her, she muttered, "I left my bow and dagger back at the wagon."

Link thought of several curses but decided not to share them. "Get behind me," he ordered Zelda tersely.

"What about–"

"Let it go!" he snapped at her, and she obediently took her weight off of Azura's scythe. The woman started as the scythe abruptly leapt toward her, but caught it easily in her hand. 

Zelda moved behind him with no complaint, to her credit, about his behavior. He'd apologize, later, but now they had bigger problems on their hands. The twin Gerudo advanced, weapons in hand, eyes gleaming with the ferocity of predators.

"He's going to try and protect her," Arjuna informed Azura as if the Gerudo couldn't see that for herself. Both of them giggled as though they found this infinitely amusing.

Link didn't even blink. He decided they were the type who tried to wear an opponent down with taunts and insults before the actual battle. Anger made for stupid mistakes in a fight, but he'd long ago learned to ignore any poison his enemies might hurl at him. The sisters' remarks had no effect.                 

For their biting comments and laughter, the women were obviously taking the situation as seriously as he. They separated and moved off to the sides in a wide arc, their movements slow and deliberate, their stances telling him in no simpler terms that they were ready to strike at any given moment. It was also obvious what they were up to–they were trying to get one of them behind him so that sister could engage Zelda unhindered. To counter their strategy, Link backed away toward the trees at the edge of the clearing, forcing Zelda back as well.

To his right, Azura's stance shifted just slightly. It was all the indication that he needed. When her scythe flew at him he easily leapt back out of its range, turning to his left just in time to block the downward sweep of both of Arjuna's scimitars.

"Two of us and one of you," she hissed at him, smiling grimly. "Where does that leave you, boy?"

Azura gave her chain a quick yank, but Zelda had other ideas. She went for the scythe again, snatching it up this time in her hands and wrapping the chain around her wrists, anchoring the weapon firmly in place.

"You worry about Arjuna," she told Link, smiling dangerously at Azura, when he spared a glance at her. "I'll take care of this one."

He wouldn't admit it, but it was weight off of his back. Fighting an opponent with two weapons was tricky, and Arjuna proved to be more than her share of deadly, wielding the twin scimitars with hairline precision and skill to match. Link found, though, to his relief, that the Gerudo was no comparison to Impa. He kept up with her strikes easily, returning a few of his own that more than once sent her scrambling away from the reach of his powerful sword.

Off to the side, Zelda and Azura still grappled with the chain-and-scythe, their closely-matched weight and strength stopping either one from gaining an advantage. Zelda wrapped more links of the chain around her wrists as she drifted toward the Gerudo, still firmly anchored but slowly closing the distance between them. Unfortunately Azura realized what she was doing, and let go of the chain with a triumphant smile.

Zelda stumbled back, her wrists bound by the chain. Azura leapt for her, but she caught her balance at the last moment and pivoted, snapping out a leg and connecting squarely with the side of Azura's head. The woman staggered from the blow, momentarily dazed. Taking her cue from Link, Zelda rammed her shoulder into the woman's midsection. She dropped like a stone.

"Easy prey, huh?" Zelda huffed, disentangling her wrists from the chain.

About to deliver another strike with her deadly scimitars, Arjuna was forced to stumble back as a flash of silver bolted past her, grazing the tip of her nose. The scythe changed course and flew straight back; Arjuna leapt clear and glanced to the side. Zelda twirled the scythe on its chain idly in her hands, grinning infuriatingly. Azura curled up on the ground at her feet, clutching her belly.

Arjuna cursed spectacularly and went straight for Zelda. The woman leapt back, but Arjuna scooped up Azura and turned back to face them, hoisting her sister's weight over a shoulder.

"You think you've won?" Arjuna demanded. "You've only delayed a far more painful death than you would have received here. Your time will come. He'll have you sooner or later, and you will beg for mercy." In a flash of scarlet, the two women were gone into the trees.

Link briefly checked his sword for damage–it was unmarked, the scimitars were too lightweight to dent or scratch it–and slid it back into its sheath. He then looked around at Zelda, who gazed at the trees on the far end of the clearing as though she had half a mind to follow the Gerudo twins.

"Oh, no you don't," he said sharply, clamping a hand around her arm before she decided to take her chances. "You're not even armed."

"I did well enough," she retorted coolly. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, but that's no excuse," he chastised her, towing her in the direction of the wagon. "How thick can you get, following a suspicious character with no weapons? Aren't you supposed to be a thief? I thought you were smarter than that."

Zelda grimaced at him. "Forgive me, Mother. I promise never to do it again."

Link let go of her, rubbing a hand across his forehead. If he weren't tired and stupid himself, he would have kept his mouth shut. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "You worried me, is all."

"I know," she replied, uncharacteristically quiet. Link glanced sidelong at her to find her watching him with that thoughtful gaze, as she'd done often since he joined the thieves.

"I was just thinking," she explained before he could ask, "how you never even hesitated. You protected me as if you didn't care that your own life might be the cost."

"Men are supposed to protect women," he said without thinking again, but it was a concept he believed in.

Zelda's lips quirked, whether in a smile or a grimace he couldn't tell. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again," she announced. "You are one _strange fellow."_

Link made a face. "So helpful."

She shrugged. "I mean, you know, you're a traditionalist. Chivalry and all that. There aren't many people left in this world who share your view."

He chose his words carefully, knowing they might easily offend. "A world in which women must make war and children steal every scrap of food they eat is not a world worth living in."

"Life's unfair," Zelda commented.

"But it shouldn't be."

"Maybe not," she conceded. "But what would you do about it?"

Link hesitated. "Change the world, if I could," he admitted. "But I don't think just one person would have much effect." He glanced at her. "What about you?"                

She took a long time to answer, as if carefully considering her answer. At last she said, "I think I would like to be remembered for more than stealing. But I suppose I'll have to settle for the glory of a thief."

The road came into the view, the wagon on the far side of it. Shadowed figures moving around the wagon told them the thieves were back; their burdens appeared to indicate quite a bounty. "Back to reality," Zelda murmured sadly, but when she moved out of the trees the sorrow was gone, replaced by her usual cheery countenance and arrogant swagger.

"Hello, children!" she called jauntily. "Did you miss me?"

*           *            *

To be continued.


	9. Steel Feather

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself-_

  


Well this is a chapter I kinda like, so I hope you'll like it too! ^^ Not a lot of news to impart about Hime's life...I did start college classes, though, and they've been pretty fun. If you want to hear more about what's been going on with me, you could always check out my ff.net bio. I'll understand if you're not interested. ^^;

  


Anyway, hope you have fun reading the chapter!

  


***

  


Chapter 9

Steel Feather

  


Zelda and Link decided to keep the fight with the Gerudo twins to themselves. No harm was done, and there was no point in putting the entire troupe on edge. If the sisters intended to live up to their threats, they'd deal with it when the time came.

  


With the stolen goods from Merchantsboon, the Best Damn Thieves Around moved south, skirting the Lost Woods and abandoning the mountain range in favor of lush, green hill country. Their next destination was Koto-Ho, a prime trading city where they could unload their bounty for a small fortune. Zelda spent much of the trip tucked into a corner of the wagon, immersed in _The Chronicles of Fate. _The recent attacks had amplified her curiosity regarding herself, Link, The Master Sword, and whatever destiny seemed to entangle them all.

  


No matter who led the thieves in their daily training, Link always found himself inevitably locking swords with Impa. The Sheikah simply took it for granted that Link would consent-and even if that wasn't the case, Link wasn't so stupid as to try and tell her no. Every day Impa leapt to the attack with just as much ferocity as the first time, and every day Link found himself desperately trying to match her speed and strength. He didn't always succeed in blocking her attacks and Impa never spared him-a hard bruise or shallow gash was his punishment, to "make the lesson stick," as Impa put it. After one such session Link found himself in the wagon, nursing a particularly nasty scratch that ran down the length of his right arm.

  


"How is anyone supposed to keep up with that woman?" he vented in frustration as Cleo stitched the wound, her gentle touch compensating for the sting of the needle. "She's like a-a goddess of the sword, all speed and steel and sharp edges."

  


"Impa is very fast, yes," Cleo agreed sympathetically. 

  


"Speed is supposed to be my good asset," Link grumbled. "I'm not big or very strong, so that's how I make up for it. But her! She has strength, height, weight, _and_ speed! She has every advantage!"

  


"She's also older than you and far more experienced," Cleo pointed out gently. "Maybe you just need practice."

  


"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm getting lots of practice and it doesn't seem to be helping." Link sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "Why me? Why does she insist on these practices every day for me and no one else?"

  


Cleo smiled teasingly at him, wrapping a bandage around the freshly sutured wound. "Because she's a evil demon who lives to torture you?"

  


Link made a face. "That wouldn't be very productive."

  


"All right, how about this? She knows you've got real talent where the sword is concerned, and she wants to make you a master." When Link glanced at her, surprised, Cleo smiled. "Or we could go back to her being an evil demon. That one's more fun, wouldn't you agree?"

  


Link considered the older woman's words for a few moments. "Maybe you're right," he said at last, and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry for whining at you." 

Cleo smiled, ruffling his hair as she would a younger brother. "Whine away, my friend. I'm always willing to listen."

  


His sessions with Impa aside, Link found that he enjoyed traveling with the thieves. He was accustomed to solitude, wandering with Demon as his sole companion, and as wonderful as the horse was for listening he wasn't much for carrying on conversations. With the thieves there was always someone around, so that it became practically impossible to get a moment's peace. The constant company took some getting used to, but after a while Link discovered that he liked it. There was always someone to talk, joke, and laugh with; the thieves were constantly teasing and playing tricks on one another. In the evening, when the wagon halted for the night, they held competitions in archery (Zelda was banned from participating because she was unmistakably the best), sword combat (Impa always won by default because everyone refused to fight her), wrestling (Link tried gamely but lost constantly), and quieter activities such as chess and dice games. They staged a chess tournament and Link found himself in a heated battle with Marek for third place while Cleo and Impa dueled for first.

  


He got along with some of the thieves better than others. Most of the women were no trouble-Cleo seemed to like him, and Dagger and Rune flirted with him shamelessly every chance they got. For some reason this seemed to irritate Zelda, with whom Link was never sure where he stood. Just as confusing was Impa, who never spared him even a moment of her frustration in their sword training, usually in front of an audience.

  


Oberon was too busy chasing the ladies of the troupe to fraternize, and Parcleus mostly preferred to keep to his gloomy lonesome. Bolo never gave him a moment's peace, constantly taking jabs and grumbling aloud that Link didn't belong with the thieves, only to be ignored by everyone else.

  


Marek-tall, lanky, laid-back-had an eye for horses, and took an immediate liking to Demon, which caused Link to take a liking to him. The red-headed youth liked tumbling and chess and had his eye on Dagger, though he didn't seem to mind her flirting with Link. "She's just having fun," he said wisely, with so much assurance that it was impossible to disbelieve him, and later he confided to Link that he had found Dagger in the brothels in Hylia City and brought her to the thieves. "I hate brothels," he said calmly, chewing on a stalk of grass. "My dam was kidnapped and sold on the black market into prostitution. I never saw her again, but I heard she died somewhere in the desert. They starve the women who refuse to service customers, you know."

  


"That's disgusting," Link said vehemently.

  


"I know." Marek looked across their campsite at Dagger, and his eyes darkened momentarily. "That's how I found her. Half starved. Half dead. She took a long time to recover."

  


Marek didn't share his story, so Link didn't pry. Nearly all of the thieves seemed to have some nameless horror in their past, a history that had left them orphaned and alone and with no way to survive but to turn to thieving. Though Link didn't agree with their lifestyle he understood that it was necessary, that without it many of them would be slaves or prostitutes or dead. All of them credited Zelda as their savior, but she disagreed.

  


"I didn't save anyone here," she often said, firmly. "You all saved yourselves." Link's respect for her grew every day.

  


After about a week on the road, they rumbled into Koto-Ho, situated in a valley between lush hills and a cold, swift river. The architecture of the city favored tall buildings made out of wood with sloping roofs covered in clay tiles. A great wall protected the city and peddlers streamed in and out through a wide gate that was hundreds of feet tall, painted a deep scarlet hue. Heavy wooden doors protected houses, shops, and other structures, but inside these buildings wooden walls and doors gave way to thick, stiff rice paper with wooden frames. Homes were sparsely furnished with few chairs and no beds; residents slept in bedrolls, their floors laden with handwoven mats called _tatami _to provide additional cushioning.

  


Rather than anchoring the wagon somewhere outside the city, the thieves drove it right into the midst of Koto-Ho, headed toward the great marketplace in the center. The market in Kakariko couldn't hold a candle to this bazaar, covered with tents and stalls and so crowded with people that the wagon had to move at a snail's pace just to avoid running over some unfortunate soul. The din of peddlers and customers haggling over wares was deafening. Most of what was sold here were items worth a small fortune-worked metals and spices and especially silks, for which Koto-Ho was famous.

They parked themselves right in the middle of the square and gathered inside of the wagon, save for Marek and Parcleus, who were busy setting up the stage. "Okay, everyone knows the routine," Zelda began. "Rune, I want you and Parcleus working the crowd, as usual. You can make a fortune from pickpocketing here," she explained, mostly for Link's benefit. "The peddlers sell riches, so everyone carries as much money on them as possible."

  


"You're out of here, boy," Impa ordered Link. "You're no help right now, so find somewhere else to be until we're done."

  


"Impa," Zelda protested, but Link shook his head.

  


"It's fine. I'd rather have a look around anyway. I'll see you all later." Link waved and disappeared, off to explore the great city.

* * *

  


Later that evening, after two shows and a lot of pickpocketing, Zelda wandered through Koto-Ho alone. She was feeling very cheerful. They'd made a small fortune in stolen purses and the profit received from trading in their goods from Merchantsboon. Most of the thieves were sticking by the wagon, eating dinner from their store of food, but Zelda preferred to sample the cuisine unique to the city.

  


She ended up in an open-air restaurant, where customers ordered and ate at an outdoor bar. She opted for a rice bowl topped with vegetables and poultry covered with a spicy sauce. The restaurant was deserted-most visitors to Koto-Ho still haggled by twilight, and would not retire until dark.

  


Zelda heard a faint clanking and turned to her right to see that she had a companion. A man had settled into the stool beside her, and she could tell in one glance that he was no ordinary stranger. He was not a Koto-Ho resident dressed in silk, nor was he a peddler carrying his merchandise, always in hopes of making a trade. Even sitting he looked unusually tall, with broad shoulders, strong limbs, and large, capable-looking hands. She could see the glimpses of silver armor hidden beneath a long cloak that was wrapped around his shoulders and neck like a burnoose, shielding the lower portion of his face. His hair was light brown with a touch of gold, long and tied away from his face with a leather thong. A large golden feather was thrust into his hair.

  


Zelda watched him out of the corner of her eye, interested in not only his appearance but the fact that he'd seated himself right next to her when there were dozens of empty stools along the length of the bar. He ordered a single bowl of _miso_ broth and paid the server on the spot, handing her a small leather purse and informing her she could keep the change. His voice was light and youthful.

  


Zelda turned away with a small smile. She'd seen the large purse at his belt when he pushed aside the burnoose in his search for the smaller purse. So he was some rich nobody in town on leisure. It would be an easy task to rob him blind.

  


She finished her food, not too quickly as to avoid attention, and paid while the rich man was still nursing his broth. She ordered a cup of tea for the road, then made her move. While her companion sipped his soup, she slipped her right hand beneath the folds of his cloak and deftly unhooked the large purse. She transferred the purse from her right to left hand, took a last gulp of tea, then casually slid off her stool and began to stroll away.

  


"You don't want that purse, miss," the man called after her. "It's full of rocks."

  


Zelda halted in her tracks, stunned. It was the first time in over ten years that she'd been caught in the act of pickpocketing. She opened the purse to find it indeed full of weighted rocks-not a single Rupee in sight. Disgusted, she turned back and hurled the purse at the man.

  


He caught it one-handed without glancing up. He picked up his bowl and drained it, then set it on the counter and turned to her, pulling the burnoose down around his neck so she could see his smile. He had a handsome, youthful face marked with a black tattoo on his forehead in a strange, jagged-edged design. His eyes appeared a light brown from where she stood. 

  


"I don't carry money on my person," he said lightly. "I don't have any to carry."

  


From behind the bar came a sudden shout: "Hey, what the hell is this? Rocks?"

  


"That would be my cue," the man murmured, sliding off of his stool. With a nod to her, he strode quickly away down the road, disappearing around a shop. Intrigued, Zelda followed, but when she turned the corner she found only a small, empty square in the midst of shops and more open-air restaurants. The man was nowhere in sight.

  


_That was strange, _she thought, eyebrows raised as she searched for the man. At last she decided there was no point in looking and she'd best return to the wagon anyway. She turned to go, but a sudden prickling on the back of her neck made her halt in her tracks.

  


For a moment all was still. Then Zelda leapt back as steel flashed before her, reversed direction, and flew back to the hand of Azura. The Gerudo stood on the roof of an empty restaurant with her sister, both armed and ready.

  


"Oh, great," Zelda remarked dryly. "Let me guess-Azura and Arjuna, round two."

  


"I see you're alone," Arjuna shot back. "Too bad you don't have your _lover_ to hide behind this time. And _again _you're not armed!" The sisters laughed.

  


Zelda thought a dozen curses as she realized they were right, but her face was calm and unworried. "As I recall, I managed to take down Azura there with my bare hands last time," she reminded them coolly. "I'd be happy to do it again."

  


"Not this time," Azura spat. "I'll cut you to pieces and present your innards to my master."

  


"I'm sure he'll appreciate the gesture." The twins had leapt down from the roof and now they stood on the edges of the square, Zelda on one side and the Gerudo on the other. Zelda was in trouble and she knew it. _Who are these people? _she wondered. _Why are they so intent on my life and Link's?_

  


"Let's go!" Azura cried, raising her scythe-but abruptly she stopped, glancing to her left. Zelda looked as well and saw the man with the feather in his hair wandering straight through the square, into the midst of the battle.

  


"Who the hell...?" Arjuna muttered. Zelda was wondering the same thing.

  


"What on earth are you doing here?" she demanded of the brainless stranger. "Can't you see there's a fight about to take place? Go away!" 

  


The man halted in between her and the twins, glancing back and forth. "Not much of a fair fight," he murmured slowly. "Two against one, and the one not even armed."

  


"If you'd like to stay and even out the odds, you're welcome to," Azura offered with a dangerous grin. "We'll gladly cut you to pieces!"

  


Zelda put a hand to her forehead, clenching her teeth in exasperation. She had to chase off the idiot before he got killed. She took a step toward him, but the man threw out his arm to stop her.

  


"If there's one thing I don't like," he remarked coolly, "it's an unfair fight. So yes, I think I will even up the odds."

  


"You brainless dolt, you're not armed yourself!" Zelda snapped at him. 

  


The man glanced back at her with a smile that made her heart stop and her legs move as if they had a mind of their own, backing her away several steps. There was something in that smile that she'd never seen before, and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out what it was.

  


"Appearances can be deceiving," the man informed her, reaching to his hair. His fingers closed around the long, thick shaft of the large feather thrust into his ponytail-but the moment he touched it, something happened. The feather seemed to shudder of its own volition; a gleam of silver went through it and the feather became stiff and solid in his hand, its golden hue replaced by a dark silver as if the feather were coated in steel. As he drew it from his hair the dying sunlight flashed and winked along its length, and she could see clearly that the feather's spines were razor-sharp.

  


Azura and Arjuna looked as stunned as Zelda felt, gaping at the steel feather as if frozen in shock. Then Arjuna seemed to shed her paralysis, and she gripped her sister's arm. "Let's go," she said urgently. "This is a fight we want no part of."

  


"But-" Azura protested as her sister wheeled her forcibly around, unable to take her eyes off the feather. 

  


"Come _on!" _Arjuna insisted, and they were gone, darting away over the rooftops of Koto-Ho.

  


"Good," said the man as they fled. "I hate fighting." He stuck the feather back into his hair, and the moment he let go it was normal once again. He turned to Zelda, and she could see clearly now that his eyes were not light brown, as she'd previously thought, but a deep, pure amber, unlike any hue she'd ever seen. Standing, he towered over her-the top of her head was barely level with his chin.

  


"Who are you?" Zelda whispered, transfixed.

  


He bowed to her with an exaggerated flourish. "A simple wanderer, no more. I'm called Ronin."

  


Zelda didn't have to ask whether that was his real name or not-the answer was as plain as the feather in his hair. "And here I thought I'd had enough of strange fellows," she muttered under her breath, trying to gather her wits together.

  


"And you, dear lady?" Ronin inquired, straightening and fixing her with those queer amber eyes. 

"I-I'm Zelda," she faltered, distressed to realize her cheeks were growing hot. The gaze he fixed her with was penetrating, as if her body was merely glass and he could see straight through to her soul.

  


He blinked, and she was mercifully free. "Unusual name," he mused.

  


"So is Ronin," Zelda retorted.

  


He smiled, not as if she'd amused him but as if she'd said something profound. "Yes, I suppose it is," he replied softly. "But, you know, I like to think our names are a reflection of ourselves. Zelda sounds to me like a name with a regal bearing. As though the wearer of this name possesses grace and beauty beyond that of the common man."

  


With a shock, Zelda realized he was flirting with her. What shocked her even more was the realization that she was flirting back. "And what does a name like Ronin make you?"

  


He considered that for several long moments. "Alone," he said at last. Simply, without a hint of self-pity. He was merely stating the truth.

  


A momentary silence fell between them, broken by a new, familiar voice. "Zelda? Zelda!" Link abruptly dashed around a shop corner and skidded to a halt in the square. "I just caught a glimpse of Arjuna and Azura, are you-" He stopped, looking between Zelda and Ronin. "Who's he?"

  


"Oh-this is Ronin," Zelda introduced her companion. "He helped me out when those Gerudo attacked me-"

  


"They attacked you _again?" _Link cried, outraged. 

  


"Yes, like I said. Ronin, this is Link."

  


Ronin approached Link and held out a hand, sweeping him from head to toe with an appraising look. Zelda was amused to realize that Ronin towered over Link as well. "Nice to meet you, Link."

  


Link took Ronin's hand, squeezed, and let go. Zelda was surprised to see an expression of obvious dislike on his face. She'd seen Link irritated, certainly, even angry, but those feelings never seemed to be directed toward anyone in particular. The thought that Link could dislike anyone had never even crossed her mind.

  


"The pleasure is mine," Link replied, though it quite obviously wasn't. "I appreciate your efforts to help Zelda."

  


Ronin cast a glance at Zelda, then looked at Link again. "It wasn't much that I did," he said coolly. "If she's your companion, though...well, it's not very safe to let her wander around alone and unarmed."

  


The expression on Link's face intensified to something close to open hostility. "I'll keep that in mind," he said coldly. "Rest assured, she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself."

  


Zelda beamed at Link, and he diverted a little smile in her direction, warming her as if she'd just swallowed an entire pot of _miso _broth. Ronin looked at her as well, and he seemed amused.

  


"She's a little thing, certainly," he said, "but I imagine she has fire to her. Well, take care, both of you." He pulled his burnoose up around his face, hiding his nose and mouth, and gave a small wave. "I'm sure we'll meet again." He walked the length of the square, turned a corner, and was gone.

  


"Here's hoping we don't," Link shot in his wake, then turned to Zelda. "We'd better get back, huh? The others were starting to worry about you."

  


That, Zelda knew perfectly well, was a lie. The thieves knew she could take care of herself. "You mean you were starting to worry about me," she challenged.

  


Link glanced at her as if startled, but the expression faded as he looked into her eyes with a gaze that was entirely different from Ronin's, yet just as penetrating. "I was," he admitted quietly. "It seems I have to keep my eyes on you every moment, or you get into trouble again."

  


"I attract trouble," Zelda said truthfully, feeling herself flush under his gaze, but the attention was not unwelcome. 

  


He looked at her for a moment longer, than turned away, walking toward the edge of the square. "Let's get back before goddesses-know what else decides to come at us."

Zelda followed, catching up to him and slipping her hand in his without so much as a glance up at him. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, and they walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence, separating only when they came in sight of the wagon.

  


* * *

  


To be continued.


	10. Wanted by the Crown

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Wow, Chapter 9 got a _lot_ of feedback! (Thank you! ^^) One question that seemed to be on everyone's mind is, just who is this Ronin guy, anyway? Well...I'm not telling! Nyah nyah! ^^;; That's one of those mysteries that might eventually be solved, so you'll just have to keep reading! Ain't enigma fun? 

  


In the meantime, enjoy Chapter 10!

  


***

  


Chapter 10

Wanted by the Crown

  


The next morning they set out from Koto-Ho–and so, it seemed, did the rest of the city. Hundreds of peddlers towing their wares and travelers, both mounted and on foot, crowded the main road out of the city. The gate was clogged with traffic. The thieves' wagon was forced to move at a pace so slow it set everyone on edge.

  


"I told you we should have left before dawn," Impa snapped at Zelda. They sat atop the roof of the wagon along with Marek.

  


"Don't tell me what we should've," Zelda snapped back. "We'd have had to leave at midnight to avoid this traffic."

  


"Then that's what we should have done!"

  


"I'm not depriving everyone of sleep just so _you_ can be satisfied!"

  


"Oh, so you'd rather have us packed like sardines in a tin, is that it?"

  


"I'm the leader of this troupe, it's my decision!"

  


"What's going on up here?" Dagger complained, hauling herself onto the roof with her friend Rune close behind. "I'm getting a headache just listening to you two!"

  


"Great," Impa snapped. "More to crowd us." Without another word she swung herself over the edge of the roof and descended the ladder.

  


"I don't mind the company," Marek said smoothly, wrapping an arm around Dagger's waist.

  


"Shove off, Marek!"

  


"I'm impressed, Lady Zelda," said a new voice below them. "You and your friends make enough noise to be heard over the entire crowd."

  


Zelda glanced down into Ronin's smiling face. The man was mounted on what appeared to be an ox.

  


"Interesting transportation you've got there," Zelda commented.

  


Ronin grinned. "Old Blue, here? She gets me around."

  


Link abruptly appeared between Ronin and the wagon, mounted on his heavyset gelding. Zelda was impressed, as he'd been lost in the crowd mere moments ago. "Ronin," he greeted the man stonily, scowling.

  


"Morning," Ronin replied cheerfully. "What a happy bunch!"

Dagger elbowed Zelda. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" she demanded, gazing intently at Ronin.

  


"Yeah, who's your friend?" Rune piped up, squeezing between Zelda and Dagger to get a good look.

  


Zelda sighed, rolling her eyes. "Ronin, these are my friends Dagger and Rune. Girls, this is Ronin."

  


"A pleasure, ladies," Ronin greeted with a warm smile. Dagger and Rune abruptly seemed overcome by a fit of giggles.

  


"Got a way with people, do you?" Link demanded sourly.

  


"With the ladies especially," Ronin retorted with a wink in Zelda's direction.

  


"Yeah, I guess a man like you has no better talent to his name."

  


"In nature," Marek commented softly behind Zelda, "the two males inevitably find themselves locked in combat for the female–"

  


Dagger and Rune snorted, covering their mouths to stifle laughs. Zelda whirled around and silenced all three with her worst scowl.

  


Ronin merely smiled at Link, then looked at Zelda again. "My lady, I found something this morning that I thought might interest you." He dug around beneath the folds of his cloak and extracted a crumpled piece of parchment. "It was tacked up in the market square."

  


Link snatched the parchment from his hand and looked it over. "What?" he said suddenly, dropping his scowling mask as he stared at the parchment, eyes widened. "What do they mean, 'crimes against the crown?'"

  


"Give me that!" Zelda reached down and seized the parchment. Beneath an official-looking seal read,

  


_Wanted,_

_Zelda Harkinian and the Best Damn Thieves Around_

_For thievery, resistance to arrest, engagement of law enforcement agents in battle, and willful crimes against the Crown of Hyrule._

_FIVE THOUSAND RUPEE REWARD_

  


Zelda could feel the blood draining from her face as she read the parchment a second and third time. Marek, Rune, and Dagger crowded behind her, reading over her shoulder. "What?" Rune gasped, just as Link had done.

  


"No laughing matter, to be accused of crimes against the crown," Ronin said quietly. 

  


"What is this?" Zelda whispered, frightened. "So we–so we picked a few pockets. That's a crime against the crown? The king doesn't waste his time on thieves!"

  


"Maybe it's not a thief he's looking to catch," Ronin suggested.

  


Link rounded on him. "You know something, don't you?" he demanded. "Out with it!"

  


"I know nothing," Ronin said with a shrug, "other than my own estimations. I'll tell you this much, though. I think something's cooking up there in the north, and you–" He glanced between Zelda and Link, as if he were speaking to the two of them alone, "–just might be the focus of it."

* * *

  


Eventually they got out of the city and on their way south along the main road. Much to Link's displeasure, Ronin seemed content to follow them. Zelda didn't protest his presence for the time being; he could prove useful, and she was still curious about his unusual qualities.

  


When they stopped for daily training, Zelda showed Impa the wanted notice. Impa read it, pursed her lips tightly, and handed it back to Zelda. "I suppose it was to be expected," she announced.

  


"What's to be expected?" Link asked swiftly, giving voice to the question on Zelda's mind. "Us being wanted by the crown? Why would that be expected?"

  


"I don't know," Impa said densely. "Aren't you all supposed to be training?"

  


As it was obvious they'd get no answers out of her, the thieves grudgingly set about to their exercises. Ronin walked his ox around in the field near them, letting her graze. No one asked whether he'd like to join in, not even Impa. 

  


As always, Impa fought Link during freestyle combat, and as always the thieves abandoned their own training to watch. Zelda glanced aside once to see that Ronin was watching as well, a thoughtful, calculating expression on his face. He grinned at Zelda when he caught her staring at him, and she turned away, feeling her heart thumping in her chest. Who _was_ he, that merely a look from those odd amber eyes sent her emotions in tumultuous disarray? He was no simple wanderer, of that she was certain.

  


Shaking her head to free herself of Ronin's queer spell, she realized that the duel was over. Link, looking very disgruntled, held a hand to a shallow gash on his cheek while Impa lectured him. "Ridiculous," the Sheikah fumed. "You haven't improved a bit since we started. How do you expect to defeat any opponent larger and stronger than you?"

  


"Most larger opponents don't possess your speed," Link replied quietly, though the dark blush on his cheeks gave away his anger. 

  


"But many do," Impa snapped. "Which means _you_ must be faster."

  


Link took his hand away from the wound and let blood spill heedlessly down his cheek. "Why?" he demanded, blue eyes flashing. He seemed to have forgotten their audience. "Why exactly are you so intent on training me?"

  


Impa's eyes locked on his. "I have my reasons."

  


Link shook his head. "That's not good enough." He reached down to pick up his sword, discarded on the ground, and slid it back into its sheath. He straightened and looked at Impa again. "You know something that you're not sharing. Until we get some answers out of you, I'm done with your training."

  


He walked away and into the wagon without so much as a backward glance. The thieves all gaped after him openmouthed. They, like Zelda, could hardly believe that anyone would have the courage to defy Impa.

  


Cautiously Zelda looked toward Impa, and was shocked to see a tiny smile on the woman's lips. She caught Zelda staring. "Yes?" the Sheikah asked coolly.

  


"Nothing," Zelda replied, looking away. _Link's definitely right,_ she thought grimly. _Impa knows something, but what?_

* * * 

  


They stopped again in the evening by the broad, cold Hylia River, which ran from the Zora's domain further north to Lake Hylia in the south. Zelda emerged from the wagon to discover that Ronin was nowhere in sight. He and his ox had disappeared.

  


"I wonder where Ronin went," she said, surprised.

  


"Off skirt-chasing, probably," Link muttered, tending Demon nearby.

  


Zelda looked at him, amused. "What are you so jealous of, anyway?"

  


Link scowled. "I'm not jealous. I just don't like him."

  


"Really? I couldn't tell."

  


"I'm not kidding, Zelda. There's something wrong with him. Can't you feel it?"

  


"Yes," Zelda admitted, recalling how uneasy Ronin made her feel every time their eyes met. "He's an odd man. But then, so are you," she added teasingly.

  


Link's scowl deepened. "Don't compare me to him."

  


They fished in the cold river and cooked their catches over a large fire as night fell, blanketing Hyrule in darkness. A cool breeze picked up and soon turned into a rushing wind, chilling them to the bone. Zelda felt the hair prickling on the back of her neck. It might have been the cold, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that something else was the cause.

  


Most of the thieves went to sleep early, tired from the long day of traveling. Zelda wrapped herself in a blanket near the fire and watched as the last embers slowly died. When Impa rose from her bedroll and headed toward the river, Zelda shed her blanket and stealthily followed.

  


Impa went straight to a thicket of trees near the riverbed. There she met a stranger, a small young girl with green hair and bright blue eyes. She carried no lamp, yet was lit with a soft green glow.

  


Zelda tucked herself behind a broad tree trunk as the two began to speak.

  


"They're getting suspicious," Impa told the girl, her voice very low. Zelda was fortunate the wind carried the conversation to her ears. "They clearly realize that I'm hiding something from them."

  


"This was expected," the girl replied, her voice clear and pure.

  


A touch on Zelda's shoulder made her start, but it was only Link, crouching beside her. He put a finger to his lips, and they turned back to Impa and the girl, listening.

  


"I wasn't expecting it so soon." Impa sounded frustrated. "Part of it is thanks to the interference of the Feather Man."

  


"The Feather Man?" the girl echoed, surprised. "He's appeared already?"

  


"Yes. Zelda encountered him in Koto-Ho, and now he is following us." 

  


"Where is he now?"

  


"He's disappeared, but I've no doubts he'll be back."

  


"I see." The girl was silent for a moment. "What do you think?" she inquired at last.

  


Impa shook her head. "I can't tell. He is an unknown, just as we suspected."

  


"The Feather Man will cause trouble, or not," the girl said firmly. "We will deal with that when the time comes. For now–"

  


"Perhaps it's time to tell them," Impa interjected.

  


"No! We've been told to keep quiet–"

  


"–by entities that have no concept of time and urgency in mortal terms," Impa finished flatly. "The cycle is moving forward. Ganondorf already knows of Zelda and Link's existence. He has even sent assassins."

  


"Assassins? You mean the twins?"

  


"Precisely."

  


"I see," the girl said again. "Then it is all happening, exactly as it was told."

  


"I can't keep it from them much longer," Impa said wearily. "Especially now that Ganondorf is after them. If they aren't told, they'll find out on their own."

  


"Maybe that would be for the best," the girl said gently. "I must return to the forest, Impa."

  


"Go then. I'll speak to you again soon."

  


"Until then, my friend." There was a sudden burst of green light, and when it faded the little girl was gone. Impa remained in place for a few moments, staring wordlessly through the trees at the silver waters of the river. At last she turned and headed back toward the camp.

  


Zelda and Link stared at each other, speechless.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	11. City of Rogues

***

  


Chapter 11

City of Rogues

  


"Saria," Link said grimly. "That was the girl Impa was speaking to," he added when Zelda looked at him. "The same one who told me to find you. She called herself the spirit of the forest."

  


They remained within the canopy of trees near Hylia River, both reluctant to return to the camp after the scene they'd just witnessed. 

  


"I don't understand," Zelda said softly. She raised her eyes, searching his as if he had the answer she sought. "Why are Impa and that girl Saria...why are the consorting about us? How do they know about the Gerudo twins and Ganondorf? And that Feather Man–"

  


"You mean Ronin?" Link said dryly. "I knew that guy wasn't normal."

  


Zelda shook her head. "Just who is this Saria person? And..."

  


"Who is Impa?" Link said darkly.

  


"Yes." Zelda smiled bitterly. "Just who is she, anyway?"

  


Link looked at her for a moment in silence. He couldn't even comprehend the sense of betrayal Zelda must feel at discovering Impa–the woman she'd known since birth–was keeping secrets from her. 

  


"I'm sorry," he said gently.

  


Zelda rubbed a hand over her eyes. "Do you think she's working for Ganondorf?"

  


Link hesitated. "It didn't...sound quite that bad," he said haltingly. "But maybe we'd be wiser not to rule out that possibility."

  


Zelda stared blankly into space for a few moments. "You know what this means, don't you?" she said quietly. "There's something going on and we're at the center of it. There's a reason Ganondorf wants our lives, and I'm willing to bet Impa knows it. We can't trust her anymore." She laughed bitterly. "Goddesses! I can't trust the one person I've trusted my entire life. Why is this happening to us?"

  


Link shook his head. "I don't know," he said just as bitterly. "Maybe it's fate."

  


Zelda bolted to her feet with a suddenness that startled him. "Link, you're brilliant!"

  


"I am?"

  


"Yes–yes, of course. Wait here." With that she was gone, dashing back toward the camp.

  


She appeared mere moments later, carrying a small lamp and a book in her arms. As she threw it on the ground and placed the lamp beside it, Link saw its title: _The Chronicles of Fate._

  


"You think that book holds the answer?" he said in amazement.

  


"It's our only lead," Zelda reminded him, flipping through the pages. "We did find your sword in this book, didn't we? Maybe it has more information."

  


Zelda found the page with the picture of the Master Sword, and they both bent over the book, foreheads nearly touching. Zelda read aloud the caption beneath the picture. 

  


_"'The Master Sword. Many tales have been told about this mysterious and elusive sword, but most scholars agree that it is the weapon of the fabled Hero of Time, who appears in every generation born under tyranny. This sword is said to be the only weapon in the world that can destroy the Ultimate Evil. In times of peace it mysteriously vanishes, reappearing only when there is need for it.'"_

  


Zelda immediately went to the index at the end of the volume. "Now we've got something," she announced. "We'll just put the pieces of the puzzle together. Ahah–'Hero of Time, page three-hundred-and-ten.'"

  


She sifted through the pages again, and abruptly let out a sharp gasp. "It's gone!"

  


Zelda was right. The page had clearly been torn from the book. "Okay, this is definitely getting weird," Link said grimly. "Someone got to this book before we did."

  


Zelda raised her eyes to meet his. "Impa," she said softly.

  


Link slammed the book shut. "Take this back to the camp and hide it," he ordered Zelda in a low voice. "Don't let Impa see you reading it. Go back to bed and pretend all of this never happened."

  


"You think we're in danger," Zelda said grimly.

  


"Ganondorf's after our lives! Of course we're in danger! And now Impa and Saria–"

  


"Okay, okay." Zelda took the book back into her arms and climbed to her feet. "It's strange," she said in a flat, defeated voice, staring off into the distance. "Yesterday the only worry I had was getting caught by the blue-shirts. Now the King of Hyrule is after us, and no one can be trusted."

  


Link gripped her wrist tightly. "You can trust _me."_

  


Zelda glanced up at him and smiled. "Funny–I think I do."

* * *__

  


The next afternoon, the Best Damn Thieves Around halted near the outskirts of Hylia City, on the shores of the great Lake Hylia. Rune and Dagger retreated into the wagon and refused to come out as the thieves went about their business. No one could blame them. 

  


"Hylia City lives on the black market," Zelda informed Link. "Rune and Dagger both worked here for a long time. You'd better watch your step–this city's full of bad characters."

  


"Why are we stopping, then?" Link wanted to know. 

  


"Because everyone's filthy rich," Zelda said densely. 

  


"Rich on information, she means," Ronin interjected, appearing out of nowhere behind them.

  


"You have a funny habit of showing up where you're not wanted," Link told him crossly.

  


"Really? I've heard that before." Ronin smiled at Zelda. "Searching for answers, my lady?"

  


"Something like that," Zelda replied, her face perfectly bland. 

  


"Happy hunting, then." The man waved a gauntleted hand and headed down the road toward the city gates. 

  


Zelda checked around to see that Impa was out of sight. "Searching for your own answers, Feather Man?" she challenged.

  


Ronin didn't even twitch. "Something like that," he called back, disappearing amidst the crowd.

  


"Feather Man?" Oberon, Marek, and Bolo had joined them. Oberon dug an elbow into Zelda's ribs, grinning infuriatingly. "Is that your pet name for him, Miss Zelda?"

  


"Don't be ridiculous," Zelda muttered, shoving him away. 

  


Bolo slid between Zelda and Link, making sure to direct a glare in Link's direction. "I don't like that Ronin guy," he snapped.

  


Zelda ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "Jealous?"

  


"Of course not!"

  


"He is too," Marek said in his usual lazy tone. "He doesn't like any man who gives Zelda the eye." 

  


"Bolo's right," Link snapped, surprising everyone. "He's nothing but a skirt-chasing lowlife. And a suspicious character besides."

  


Zelda rolled her eyes. "Down, boys. I'm not about to marry him."

  


"Good!" Oberon draped an arm around Zelda's slim shoulders. "Because you could do so much better, O Queen of Thieves."

  


Zelda laughed in spite of herself. "Go find some pretty girls to bother," she teased. "Me n' Link here, we've got some business to attend to."

  


"Business, she says," Marek jested, nudging Oberon in the ribs.

  


"I believe I'm the most honorable man in this whole group," Link said sternly. "The rest of you are just thieves and rogues."

  


Marek grinned. "Uh-huh. Well, we'll leave you to your business, then." With much winking and jabbing of the elbows, Marek and Oberon headed back toward the wagon, dragging Bolo with them. Zelda watched them go, smiling. 

  


"They're just kidding about all that, y'know," she told Link after a moment, thinking their behavior might need an explanation.

  


"At that age?" Link said dryly. "What else is on their minds?"

  


"Like you're so old," Zelda teased as they headed down the road toward the city gates, joining the stream of travelers and criminals.

  


Link grinned boyishly. "I never claimed that." He added thoughtfully, "Bolo seems pretty serious about you."

  


Zelda waved a hand dismissively. "He's just a kid, and sentimental besides. He only thinks he's serious."

  


"What about Oberon?" Link asked swiftly.

  


"He chases every girl he lays eyes on."

  


"Okay, then...what about _Ronin?"_

  


"The Feather Man?" Zelda said incredulously. "Give me a break." She eyed Link for a moment, eyebrows raised. "What are you so interested in my love life for, anyway?" 

  


"How can you doubt my perfectly honorable motives?" Link demanded in mock-outrage.

"Oh, so sorry." Zelda grinned at him. "Well, if you must know, I'm unattached and always have been. I guess I could go for–well goddesses, _anyone, _really."

  


"Anyone?" Link echoed, smiling at her.

  


Zelda smiled back. "Well, maybe not _anyone..."_

  


"HEY, MISS ZELDA!"

  


"Nayru defend me," Zelda muttered, glancing back up the road. "What is it, Bolo?"

  


"Impa wanted me to make sure you had a weapon on you!" the kid bellowed from the vicinity of the wagon.

  


Zelda made a face. "She did, did she? Like I'd forget to carry one more than twice!" She winked at Link. "I'm not _that_ dense."

  


"Okay!" Bolo yelled. "Be careful!"

  


"I will, thanks!" Zelda sighed regretfully and looked at Link. "Back to business. We'd better get going."

  


"What are we looking for in this place, anyway?" Link inquired as they passed through the gates of Hylia City.

  


"A shady character, what else?"

* * *

  


Hylia City was a gloomy place of nondescript wooden housings and cross-streets through dirty alleys, filled with people who all seemed to have the same world-weary, cunning face. It was largely a hideout for criminals and those wanted, fairly or unfairly, by the law; a city run by murderers, bounty hunters, and thieves. You could buy anything on the black market, from slaves to information, and the richer you were the less chance you had of leaving alive. It was no wonder Hylia was nicknamed the City of Rogues. 

  


Zelda appeared to know her way around the city. Link stuck to her like a burr, feeling stares everywhere they went.

  


"There are three men following us," he murmured to Zelda.

  


"It happens," she replied in a low voice, staring straight ahead. "Just ignore them."

  


When they turned down a dirty alleyway flooded with water–at least, Link hoped it was water–the men accosted them, planting two of them in front and one behind.

  


One of the men smiled, his eyes lingering over Zelda. "Mornin', miss. Why don't you come with my fellows n' me, we'll get you some good work."

  


Link tensed, but Zelda laid a hand on his arm to restrain him. "Not interested," she said flatly.

  


"We can make you rich," the second man offered.

  


"I told you, I'm not interested. Go away."

  


Link suddenly felt a touch on his shoulder, and the man behind him whispered, "Give us the woman an' we'll pay you real well."

  


Link grasped the handle of the Master Sword. "Say that again and I'll cut your throat," he snarled.

  


"Link, don't," Zelda whispered. To the men she said firmly, "I'm not going to sell myself, and neither is my companion. Go away."

  


Link didn't take his hand off the sword until the three men had left, casting stares over their shoulders at Zelda. "Bastards. I should've torn them apart."

  


Zelda sighed and shook her head, moving on through the alley. "If you'd started a fight with them we would have had a _real_ problem on our hands."

  


"They're only going to accost another woman!" Link argued. "Someone without protection!"

  


"That's the way the world works," Zelda said softly.

  


"Would you say that if you knew it was Rune or Dagger they were going after next?" Link demanded.

  


Zelda whirled around, eyes flashing. "What the hell do you want me to do? I can't solve the world's problems and neither can you! Maybe you can throw your life away for an ideal, but I have an obligation to the people I've sworn to protect! I will _never_ allow anyone to touch Rune and Dagger again!"

  


There was a long silence between them. At last Zelda drew in a ragged breath. "If you think I don't hate this world," she said quietly, "you're dead wrong. But I can't change it. No one can."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	12. The Destined

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


It's almost 12 am on a Thursday night. (Do you know where your children are?) I've got homework to do, but instead I'm uploading this, along with a chapter of a new fanfic (see bio for info). Ah well, that's the way the cookie crumbles, or whatever. I'd much rather be writing my happy little Chapter 12 author's note than doing homework.

  


This chapter is a goody, another one of my faves. You'll hear me say that a lot of the coming chapters are among my favorites. I just think they're all particularly good. ^^; Hope you think so too! Please enjoy the chapter, and feel free to look into my newest fanfic.

  


***

  


Chapter 12

The Destined

  


"I need to speak with the seer."

  


The man behind the bar at the Wolfshead Tavern eyed first Zelda, then Link. An ugly, balding man, his face deformed by a large scar running from jaw to temple, he fooled visitors by dressing in the nondescript clothes of a bartender. Few people knew his real identity as the king of the underground, a nameless leader who regulated the majority of the traffic of the black market.

  


"No," he said bluntly, wiping a dirty glass with a dirtier rag.

  


"I need to speak with the seer," Zelda repeated firmly. "Tell him Zelda Harkinian is here."

  


Standing at her side, Link kept an eye on the inhabitants of the tavern, all of whom were watching Zelda hungrily. One of the men looked at Link briefly and grinned, drawing his tongue across the blade of the dagger he held in his hand. Link placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, giving the man a look that promised trouble.

  


"Your name don't carry no weight here, missy," replied the scarred man. "Go back t' pickin' pockets."

  


Zelda drew a purse from her belt and dropped it on the counter between them. The man looked at it, then her.

  


"Don't need yer money."

  


Zelda reached beneath the collar of her shirt and drew a chain with a large circular pendant off her neck. Link watched her, surprised. He hadn't even noticed her wearing anything.

  


She dropped it on the counter. "It'll fetch five thousand."

  


The man picked up the necklace, rubbing his thumb over the face of the pendant. "What else?"

  


"It's all I have."

  


"Give me one o' yer girls," the scarred man suggested, sweeping Zelda from head to toe with his milky gray eyes.

  


"You don't want my girls," Zelda told him bluntly. "They're more than a handful."

  


"No deal."

  


"Come to my wagon tonight and I'll give you anything you want," Zelda offered. "Excluding my people."

  


The man considered that. It was obvious that he knew of the Best Damn Thieves Around and their hefty profits. 

  


"I'll see what I can do," he said at last. "Wait here."

  


He took off his apron and stuffed it away behind the counter, then left through a back door. "You sure about this?" Link whispered to Zelda.

  


"I know what I'm doing," Zelda murmured back. "I've dealt with these people before."

  


The man returned a few minutes later and beckoned to Zelda. "He'll see you." He glanced dismissively at Link. "He stays."

"Not a chance in hell," Link snapped, but Zelda shook her head.

  


"It's okay," she whispered to Link. "Stay here. I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

  


"Are you kidding?" Link whispered back, fiercely. "They'll kill you or sell you into slavery!"

  


Zelda shook her head. "They won't. The seer's the only one in this entire town who can be trusted. If he's agreed to see me, no one else will dare touch me." She looked at him pleadingly, willing him to see things her way. "Please, Link. Just trust me."

  


Link cursed. "If you're not out in half an hour, I'm coming in after you."

  


Zelda smiled. "I'll be no more than fifteen minutes. Don't worry." She squeezed his hand reassuringly, then turned and followed the scarred man through the door in the back of the tavern. 

* * *

  


Zelda was conducted into a small room in the cellar below the tavern by the scarred man, who quickly took his leave. It was dimly lit with torches along the walls and two candles on either side of the small figure crouched on the floor, covered in a hooded cloak. Zelda knelt before the seer and bowed until her forehead touched the floor.

  


"You need not bow to me, Zelda Harkinian." A small hand curled under her chin and lifted her face until she and the seer were eye-to-eye. The hood of the cloak was drawn back, revealing scarlet eyes in a youthful, elegant face. The seer was a woman, her age impossible to tell. Her face was unlined, but the light in her eyes spoke of infinite wisdom. Silken black hair tumbled down her shoulders, framing her face with two shorter locks. She was a Sheikah, and quite beautiful. 

  


"You're a woman," Zelda said, startled. The seer smiled at her.

  


"Yes. The shadow king is responsible. He believes I will be safer if all believe I am male."

  


"The shadow king?" Zelda echoed, then realized she must be talking about the scarred man who led the underground. "Of course. But you must be very safe with the king to protect you."

  


The seer laughed dryly. "Yes, he protects me quite devoutly in exchange for the information I provide him. How is Impa, my dear child?"

  


"Well enough," Zelda said bitterly, remembering the Sheikah's betrayal.

  


The seer nodded. "That is good. I remember well the day she brought you to me as an infant. She did not like my suggestion that I rear you as a thief." A smile twitched on the woman's lips.

  


Zelda smiled despite herself. "She makes a fine thief herself these days."

  


The seer laughed. "I imagine that she does. Well." She smiled at Zelda. "Tell me, child, why have you returned to me after all these years?"

  


"I need to know my future. I..." Zelda hesitated, but something in the seer's kind eyes made her want to pour out her entire soul. "I'm in danger, and so is a friend of mine. Ganondorf is after our lives, but we don't know why."

  


"How frightened you must be," the seer murmured sympathetically, taking Zelda's hand between both of hers. "I will see what answers I may provide you. Look into my eyes, child."

  


Zelda obeyed, meeting her fathomless scarlet gaze. "Oh, dear," the seer said softly after a few moments of silence. "You poor child."

  


"What is it?" Zelda whispered, frightened.

  


"I see danger...sorrow...pain...fear. All of these things are in your future, Zelda, and they will come to you soon. However..." The seer gazed silently into her eyes for a moment. "You have many great friends at your side who will lend their support. You must learn to trust yourself entirely to your closest companion. Only then will you survive your future." The seer exhaled slowly, letting go of Zelda's hand. "That is all I can tell you."

  


"But...but that's so cryptic," Zelda replied, frustrated. "Can't you give me anything more specific?"

  


"My child, the future is not a book to be opened and read at will," the seer said gently. "It is a near-impenetrable mist concealing countless possibilities. I can only decipher so much."

  


Zelda sighed, disappointed. "Thank you. Doesn't sound like a very bright future, that's for sure."

  


"You have a strong heart, and a strong will," the seer told her. "You will prevail."

  


"I hope so," Zelda said bluntly, rising to her feet. "I'd better be on my way." She turned to take her leave.

  


_"Mortal minds know not the secrets that lie within the soul."_

  


Zelda gasped and whirled around. The seer's eyes were closed tightly and she was as still as death, yet her lips moved and a voice that was not her own emerged from her throat. It was a woman's voice, pure and beautiful, yet so great and terrible Zelda found herself involuntarily covering her ears, attempting to shut out the sound. The voice could not be silenced. 

  


_"You are Zelda, The Destined, the salvation of Hyrule. Receive unto you the protection of Link, who is also Destined, the foe of all evil. His sword will strike down the Ultimate Evil, and glory will reign once more in Hyrule, the blessed land, under the blessed queen._

  


_"You will have the Sages, the Feather Man, and the Half at your side. The people will come to you and accept your command. The power of the Goddesses will be yours, and you will embody the Immortal Three-Who-Are-One. When all pieces are joined together, the cycle will be fulfilled, and Balance restored._

  


_"As it has been told, these events will come to pass. I, Nayru, declare the destiny of my Chosen."_

  


The terrible voice faded away, and the entity behind it released its grip on the seer. The small woman slowly opened her eyes and gazed up at Zelda. "My apologies," she murmured dreamily. "Was there something else you wanted, dear child?"

  


Somehow Zelda found her voice. "N-no. Thank you."__

* * *

  


Ten minutes seemed like an eternity to Link, forced to wait in the dim, dirty tavern for Zelda to finish her business with the seer. At last the door behind the bar opened, and Zelda emerged. Their eyes met, and Link knew instantly that something was wrong.

  


He closed a hand over her arm and steered her out of the tavern and into the alley beside it, deserted save for a pair of rats searching for scraps of food. Zelda's cheeks were pallid and her hands were shaking. Link gripped her chin and forced her to look at him.

  


"What happened?" he asked firmly. 

  


Zelda blinked. She was looking at him but her eyes were unfocused, as if seeing something else. "I think a goddess spoke to me."

  


"You think _what?"_

  


She recounted her meeting with the seer in as much detail as possible, particularly the seer's last words. When she was done Link remained silent, thinking.

  


"Impossible," he said at last. "She was playing a trick on you, or something."

  


"She's a Sheikah," Zelda argued. The shock seemed to have worn away. "When have you ever known one of them to kid about anything? Look at Impa."

  


Link shook his head, the words of the seer that Zelda recounted echoing through his mind. Zelda...Link...The Destined...the Ultimate Evil...

  


"What exactly is the 'Ultimate Evil?'" he asked abruptly.

  


Zelda was silent, biting her lower lip. 

  


"Zelda?"

  


She looked up at him. "Oh, Link, figure it out. What could it be but–"

  


"Well, well!" interrupted an all-too-familiar voice. "What a surprise to find you two consorting among the sewer rats."

  


Link cursed, yanking the Master Sword from its sheath as he and Zelda turned toward the entrance to the alleyway. "What the hell do you two want?" he demanded of Azura and Arjuna. "Or should I say, what does _Ganondorf_ want?"

  


Astonishment registered briefly on the sisters' identical faces. "How did you...? Never mind." Azura shook her head. "About time you figured it out."

  


"So why's he after us? Although, come to think of it..." Zelda eyed the Gerudo distastefully and smiled. "I guess we can't be _that_ important if he sent a couple of desert snakes like you."

  


"Funny you should say that," Arjuna snapped. "We're not about to waste our time. We're just here to give you a message."

  


"I wouldn't try escaping this city by any of the roads if I were you," Azura said triumphantly. "They're swarming with blue-shirts and bounty hunters from the Lost Woods to the desert. In short, you're out of places to run."

  


"If you surrender the Master Sword, we'll cut your throats for you," Arjuna offered. "It'll be the least painful way to go."

  


"Say that again," Link snarled, stepping toward them, but the women were gone in a flash of gold and scarlet. He took a long breath, sliding the Master Sword back into its sheath. "That was bile, pure and simple. They're just trying to scare us."

  


"They were telling the truth," Zelda said quietly.

  


"Don't be ridiculous! How could–"

  


"The seer told me," Zelda interrupted. "It didn't realize it at first, but now it's perfectly clear. Danger. Sorrow. Pain. Fear. All of them in the near future. In short, my worst nightmare has come true. I _know_ they were telling the truth, Link. As much as I want to deny it."

  


"All right then," Link said abruptly. "We'll just have to find a way to escape–"

  


"Didn't you hear them? Every route is blocked!"

  


"But–"

  


"Miss Zelda!" It was Cleo. She stood at the entrance of the alley, wrapped in a long blanket to hide her womanly figure, her face pale and eyes wide. "Impa sent me. We've just dragged the wagon into the city–we had to. Marek went to scout a little ways south on the road and found it swarming with–"

  


"Blue-shirts and bounty hunters," Zelda said grimly. "I know. Take me back to the wagon, Cleo."

  


The wagon was hidden behind an apothecary not far from the city gates. Impa, Marek, Parcleus, and Oberon guarded it, all armed to the teeth and wary of any city dwellers who strayed too close. The rest of the thieves spilled from the wagon as soon as Cleo, Zelda, and Link appeared, all plainly terrified. 

  


"What are we going to do?" Dagger moaned. "We can't stay here, but we can't go out there–"

  


"There are bounty hunters after us!" Bolo whispered, sweating and trembling. "They'll kill us!"

  


"Or drag us to Ganondorf's dungeons–"

  


"We'll be tortured to death!"

  


"Stop it, all of you," Zelda said firmly. She was incredibly composed–not an ounce of fear showed in her blazing eyes nor a moment of hesitation in her unfaltering voice. "We are not going to be captured, tortured, or killed. We're going to survive, just as we've always done."

"How?" Impa gazed levelly at Zelda–she too, was amazingly calm, considering the circumstances. "You have a plan?"

"I might," Zelda said quietly, "but no one is going to like it."

  


"We'll deal with it." That was Marek, level-headed and unexcitable as always. He had an arm around Dagger's trembling shoulders. "Tell us."

  


Zelda smiled briefly. "All right." She took a deep breath. "As far as we know, all of the roads are blocked. Every possible escape route will be watched. If we don't make a move, they'll eventually come to us. They're expecting us to try to get as far away from this city as fast as possible, and that's exactly what we're going to do. We'll just have to do it the unexpected way."

  


Cleo gave a sudden gasp, clapping her hands to her mouth. "No," she whispered, the blood draining from her face. "Please tell me I've got it wrong, Miss Zelda. Please tell me that isn't what you're thinking."

  


"Sorry," Zelda said grimly, "but we have no other option. We have to go through Hyrule Field."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	13. Hyrule Field

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Couldn't resist putting up a new chapter. ^^ Thanks for reading, as always, please enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 13

Hyrule Field

  


"Listen closely," Zelda ordered, grouped around the wagon with the Best Damn Thieves Around. Her voice was a low, almost soundless murmur. "Get your most precious possessions from the wagon and all the money you can carry. There's no reason we should go dirt-poor, but–"

  


"We're leaving the wagon?" Dagger gasped. "But–Miss Zelda!"

  


"No buts," Zelda said sharply. "You want to travel across Hyrule Field with something that large and conspicuous? You must be out of your mind!"

  


"But–" Bolo protested.

  


"Take nothing large or noisy," Zelda went on as if she hadn't heard him. "Only what you can hide. And take all the weapons you can carry, understand? Anything with a sharp edge, take it."

  


"What about the oxen?" Marek asked quietly.

  


"Leave them" was the firm reply. "The people of this city know the value of a good animal. The oxen won't be harmed." Zelda hesitated then, looking at Link. "Can we trust Demon to be quiet and stay with the group? Will he slow us down or draw attention?"

  


"You can trust him," Link replied immediately. "He'll be fine, don't worry."

  


"When do we leave?" Impa inquired.

  


"Tonight. Maybe we'll get lucky and the moon won't come out. We'll make do with whatever cover we have." Zelda paused briefly. "Where's Ronin?"

  


"Dunno," Parcleus told her in his usual gloomy tone. "Haven't seen him since he went to the city."

  


Zelda nodded. "We'll go on without him, then. Better that he not be involved in this mess, anyway." She was silent for a few moments, gazing around at all of them in turn. Her eyes lingered on Link the longest. 

  


"That's it," she said quietly at last. "Stay close to the wagon and be ready to go at any moment. Anyone who wanders off will be in _huge_ trouble."

* * *

  


The thieves stuck close by the wagon as ordered, quietly preparing for their escape, but Zelda retreated around the far side of the apothecary. Link found her there shortly after sunset, sitting back against the wall of the apothecary and watching as stars appeared one by one in the rapidly darkening sky. The wind picked up, stirring strands of pale hair into her midnight eyes.

  


He took a seat beside her and asked quietly, "Are you sure about this?"

  


Zelda smiled wryly. "Are you kidding? Of course I'm not sure. But we don't have any other option." She hugged herself tightly as if cold, though the night was warm and humid. "I've heard the rumors about Ganondorf's dungeons. I would do everything possible to keep my people from suffering that fate. I think I would even slaughter them myself, if it came to that."

  


"You're very devoted to them."

  


"I'm all they have." Zelda smiled halfheartedly. "No, they're all _I _have." She drew in a deep breath and continued determinedly. "I won't let them be captured, or kill them like spring lambs. They'll survive. I'll see to it at any cost, even my own life."

  


"You won't die," Link said with quiet certainty. "Worry about protecting them, and I'll protect you."

  


Zelda's lips twisted. "And who affords you protection?" she asked in an uncharacteristically high tone, turning her gaze to his. "Who is your salvation?"

  


It was there in her eyes, clear as day–the desolation, the terror. Determination and brave words were all a part of her facade. She knew that what lay before her was the unknown. Link had come to understand her and her desperate need to be in control of every aspect of her life, but now her fate was out of her hands, and she was terrified.

  


He caught her by the shoulders and pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her. He felt her fingers curl into the sleeves of his tunic as if clinging for dear life–then his lips founds hers, and there was nothing in the world but the two of them.

  


"Link," Zelda sighed when they parted, "Link..."

  


He smoothed her golden hair back away from her face, kissing her forehead. "What?" he murmured.

  


"I–we shouldn't do this."

  


Link cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again.

  


Footsteps heralded someone's approach. Link and Zelda sprang apart just as Cleo rounded the corner of the apothecary, carrying a lamp in one hand and a long, heavy war-axe in the other. Her curious gaze traveled between the two, but she said simply, "The thieves are ready to leave at your command, Miss Zelda."

  


Zelda nodded, a faint scarlet tinge in her pale cheeks. "Thank you. I-I'll be along in a moment."

  


Cleo spared them one more intrigued glance, then nodded and returned to the wagon. Zelda stood, brushing dirt off her dark breeches. "I was going to tell you," she said without looking at Link. "In case we die tonight. I am...I'm glad I knew you, however briefly."

  


Link climbed to his feet and slid his arms around Zelda's thin shoulders. He could feel her shaking. "Stay with me. Just for a little while."

  


Zelda glanced regretfully at the sky, where thick clouds had gathered to hide the moon. "We don't have much time." 

  


She was right. Reluctantly Link let her go.

  


The thieves waited for them, all armed to the teeth, all wearing the same expression of borderline terror. Zelda took a brief moment to touch the wagon, her fingers tracing the jauntily carved letters that spelled out the words _'The Masked Players.' _Her lips tightened, and she turned to her company with a pale, set face. 

  


"Let's go."

* * *

  


Their pursuers were too far from the city to notice any of them slipping out of the gates, across the road, and north into the cover of a small forest. There was no one hidden in the tangle of trees–it was far too close to the field. The thieves stayed together in a closely-knit group, silent and alert, senses keened to any sign of danger. Every snapped twig or rustle of leaves was a monster slinking toward them, some kind of horrible creature ready to attack.

  


The trees eventually gave way to smaller brush, then expanses of wild grass. There was nothing to indicate they had crossed over into Hyrule Field, yet it was as clear as the vast, dark plain before them–something tangible in the air, a reek of fear and death.

  


The clouds overhead thickened as they ventured further within the field. Suddenly the heavens opened and rain poured down in icy sheets, as thunder and lightning tore across the sky. Zelda had heard that it was always storming in Hyrule Field. She supposed the rumors must be true.

  


She had Link on one side of her and Impa on the other–both seemed determined to keep her alive. The rest of the thieves were strung out behind them in twos and threes, huddled close to their neighbors. Demon walked on Link's other side, shaking his head and rolling his eyes every step of the way. He was plainly terrified, though he kept quiet. Link rubbed his nose soothingly.

  


It was pitch black in the field, broken by bright flashes of lightning. Zelda's biggest fear was that they were wandering in circles, but Impa, oddly enough, seemed to know where she was going.

  


_More secrets, _Zelda thought wearily, watching as Impa scouted out a small patch of trees ahead and led them in a different direction. She wouldn't complain, though, if they all got out of this alive.

  


"Do you hear that?" Rune whispered suddenly behind her. "Miss Zelda, there's something breathing."

  


Their company halted. Zelda listened tensely through the patter of rain and rumbling thunder. Parcleus and Oberon grimly drew swords from their belts. Dagger pressed close to Marek, sweating.

  


"I don't hear anything," Zelda said quietly at last. "It's just us breathing, Rune."

  


As if on cue, a jagged bolt of lightning lit the field around them with a blinding blue light. In the seconds before the flicker of light died, Zelda caught a glimpse of a huddle of dark, misshapen figures who most certainly did not belong to her group. The lightning flickered away, plunging them into complete darkness once more. 

  


A hand gripped her arm tightly–Link's. "You saw that?" he whispered urgently.

  


"Oh yes." Zelda gripped the dagger at her side, raising her voice just loud enough for the thieves to hear. "Everyone, we're about to be attacked."

  


Someone cursed. "Oh goddesses, we're going to die," another voice shrieked.

  


"We're not going to–" Something struck Zelda's face, knocking her to the ground hard enough to take the wind out of her. A harsh, dry hand wrapped around her throat; another pinned her wrist at her side.

  


There were noises all around her–screams, ragged breathing, horrible scrabbling noises, and the unmistakable sound of sharp metal cutting flesh and bone. Zelda struggled wildly against the thing that held her captive, feeling it questing along her midsection. A horrible pain suddenly seared at her side just below her ribs; it felt as though dull nails were being driven into her flesh. She bit her lip until it bled and twisted her free hand out from under the creature, her long dagger in her grasp. Blindly she struck and felt the dagger slide into dry, papery flesh.

  


The thing above her gave a horrible, sickening moan that made her scalp crawl. Suddenly its weight was lifted; free, Zelda scrambled away and struggled to her feet, fresh pain searing anew through the wound at her side. A flash of lightning lit the field and Zelda caught a glimpse of her attacker–it was the dead come to life, a half-rotted, emaciated skeleton with thin, leathery flesh and a grossly misshapen face. Blood dripped from its jagged teeth–her blood, Zelda realized sickly, feeling bile rise in her throat. The thing had tried to eat her.

  


Through the flashes of lightning Zelda could see its knobby head swinging blindly left and right, searching for prey. Then the creature's eyeless gaze found her, and Zelda was frozen, paralyzed with terror, her unblinking eyes locked on its monstrous face. The creature gave another bloodcurdling moan and began to stagger toward her. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to move, to run away–but she was locked in place, helpless to do anything other than watch it draw closer with every slow, deliberate step.

  


Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Impa straighten from her crouch over the body of a monster and look to her. The Sheikah drew back her wrist and hurled a throwing axe at the skeleton; a flash of silver and the creature's head was neatly severed.

  


Zelda was abruptly free of her paralysis. She dropped to her knees with a small groan, pressing her hand against the flow of blood at her side.

  


"Run, you idiot!" Impa snapped. 

  


Someone crouched beside her and wrapped a strong arm around her waist. "We're leaving," Link told her firmly, hauling her to her feet.

  


"But–"

  


_"Now, _Zelda!"

  


She didn't have the strength to argue. She and Link ran as fast as she could manage, rain pouring down in icy sheets, screams echoing behind them.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	14. Great Fairy Fountain

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself-_

  


Glad to see that response to The Kiss was generally positive. ^^ It was the first moment of actual romance in the story, so naturally I was a bit nervous about how it would be received. I hate writing romance, but I guess I like torturing myself or something because I write it all the time. -.-; 

  


Writer's block was impeding the release of this chapter, but happy to say I've broken through it, so here is Chapter 14 for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 14

Great Fairy Fountain

  


Zelda drifted in and out of consciousness, sinking into uneasy dreams, awakening long enough to feel a throbbing ache at her side and someone half-dragging, half-carrying her along. Some time later–she didn't know how long–she realized they had stopped. 

  


She fought to open her eyes. She sat on cold, damp grass, leaning against Link; the moon was peeking behind drifting clouds. The rain had lightened to a steady drizzle, though it hardly mattered–she was soaked through and chilled to the bone. She tried to stir, but the awful pain at her side made her groan.

  


"Easy." Link smoothed her hair behind her ear with a shaking hand. "One of those things attacked you?"

  


Zelda nodded dully.

  


"Let me look. Just lean against my shoulder, okay?"

  


Link shifted her so that one arm supported her back, his free hand lifting her shirt up around her ribs. She would have protested, only she felt too exhausted to do anything but lay her head against his shoulder. 

  


"Farore's mercy," Link muttered. The wound was a mess of blood and torn flesh; one rib was visible. Zelda groaned, turning her face into Link's shoulder as pain seared through her side.

  


Link produced a roll of linen; Zelda supposed he must have taken it from the wagon before they left. Ignoring her protests, he wrapped the linen around her torso as tightly as possible and tied a firm knot. Only when he was finished did the excruciating pain subside to a throbbing ache.

  


"We've got to get out of here," Link said, looking toward the sky as if to mark their bearings. "I think we're near the edge of the field, but I don't know what side."

  


Zelda shook her head. "The others. I have to go back for them."

  


"You can't," Link replied, gently but firmly. "You'll die."

  


"I'm going to die anyway."

  


"No, you're not." Link wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her to her feet. "We're going to get out of here, and when you've healed we can search for the others."

  


They picked a direction and set as fast a pace as Zelda could manage. She bit her lip to keep silent, certain that Link had no idea where he was leading them. For all they knew, they could be heading deeper into the field. Blood soon soaked the linen binding her wound. She was going to die, of that she was certain.

  


At one point she stumbled and fell to her knees, only to discover that she couldn't get up again. Zelda gritted her teeth, unshed tears burning in her eyes. "Just go, Link. Leave me, please."

  


"Not a chance," Link said grimly, trying to pull her to her feet.

  


"It hurts," she begged. 

  


"Dammit, Zelda, are you really that weak?! _Get up!"_

  


At last Zelda got to her feet.

  


Some time later, they both looked up to see a large, dark mass of trees looming before them. A pale gray light above the forest canopy suggested dawn was not far. "We're heading east," Link realized abruptly. "This must be the Lost Woods."

  


The trickling sound of water came from a small creek flowing south at the edge of the dark forest. A large, familiar shape drank from the brook.

  


"Demon!" Link cried.

  


The gelding tossed his head, whinnying, and cantered toward them, prancing like a frisky colt. Upon reaching their side he lowered his head and gently butted Link's chest. Link wrapped his free arm around Demon's neck. 

  


"Why is he here?" Zelda asked sluggishly.

Link smiled at the gelding, scratching him behind the ears. "He killed two monsters during the fight. I guess their paralyzation didn't affect him. But I lost track of him when I went to look for you. Glad you're okay, boy," he added to Demon. "Think you could carry Zelda for me?"

  


Demon lowered his head to sniff gently at Zelda's midsection, and recoiled at the stench of blood. Link smiled wryly. "He says yes. C'mon–"

  


Link helped Zelda clamber up onto Demon's broad back. Once she was safely on, Zelda found, to her relief, that she could lay against the gelding's soft neck. Link took Demon's reins and led him on foot into the dark haven of the Lost Woods.

  


"Keep awake, okay?" Link said to Zelda. "Keep talking to me."

  


Zelda sighed, feeling very weary. "Nothing to talk about."

  


"There's lots of things to talk about." Link paused briefly. "Tell me about your childhood."

  


Zelda frowned. "Why would you want to hear about that?"

  


"I just do."

  


"Well..." She sighed, her tired mind struggling to recall the details of the past. "I was born in Kakariko Village, I think. Impa took care of me. I never knew my mother or father."

  


"How long did you live in Kakariko?"

  


"Oh...a few years, I guess. Then we went south to Hylia City. Impa took me to see the oracle, and she said I should be a thief. So I learned."

  


"That young, huh?"

  


"Yeah. I started out picking pockets. I was only five." Zelda stroked Demon's silky mane. "I guess I just got really good at it. Me n' Impa just...experimented, I guess, learning through trial and error." She added with a hint of pride, "I've been arrested five times and jailed twice."

  


Link smiled up at her. "So you're battle-scarred, huh?"

  


Zelda laughed quietly. "Something like that."

  


"And the Best Damn Thieves Around? How did they come to be?"

  


"When I was twelve or so, I met Marek and Rune in Hylia City," Zelda explained. "Marek was an indentured servant to an opium peddler, and Rune was working the brothels. One day, we all just decided we wanted to get out of that city. So the three of us ran away together. Impa caught up with us, and she was _furious."_

  


Link chuckled. "I wouldn't want to see that woman furious."

  


"No, you wouldn't," Zelda agreed emphatically. "But the four of us stuck together. We just traveled all around Hyrule, picking up strays, so to speak. There's so many people in this world who are suffering," she added sadly. "Sometimes I wish I could help them all. The life of a thief isn't much, but it's better than being a slave, or tilling the fields day and night for Ganondorf's tributes, with barely enough left to feed your family..."

  


"I know," Link said simply.

  


"It's his fault, you know," Zelda said in a low voice. A fierce emotion was rising inside of her; a feeling of rebellion, of insubordination. "It all comes down to him. He's an evil, vile man. He's not worthy to be king."

  


Link shifted nervously, glancing around as if expecting to find the King himself hiding behind a tree. "You could get in a lot of trouble for saying those things, Zelda."

  


"So?" she replied bluntly. "He's after our lives anyway."

  


Link was silent for a moment. At last he said quietly, "You're right. He is evil. He's disgusting. I hope he dies someday soon and frees this land...I hope he suffers in the afterlife."

  


"Link," Zelda said, impressed.

  


He gave a short shrug. "I'm only saying what everyone's thinking."

  


Demon whickered softly, his ears perking. Link frowned, cocking his head to one side. "Do you hear that?"

  


Zelda listened. From somewhere ahead of them in the woods she could hear a dim, continuous roar. "It's not another monster, is it?" she whispered, feeling a bolt of sharp pain in the wound at her side.

  


"It's water," Link said suddenly.

  


He was right, of course. Soon revealed through the trees was a moonlit clearing; water rushed from a short cliff in a foaming cascade to the pool below, flowing more gently into a small creek that trickled through the woods. There were five stepping stones in the silvery pool, leading from the bank directly into the waterfall. Gazing around the clearing, Zelda felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. There was something eerily beautiful and all too unnatural about this place.

  


"What do you think?" Link asked her.

  


Zelda gestured to the stones in the water. "That's no natural creation."

  


"I heard that there were once people living in this forest, many years ago," Link said thoughtfully. "They were a tribe of children, supposedly. Maybe this is their home?" He was silent for a few moments, then abruptly seemed to arrive at a decision. "In any case, we need to find you shelter for the night. There's got to be a cave behind that waterfall."

  


Link helped Zelda down from Demon's back and told the gelding to stay put. Together they crossed the five stepping stones, hesitating before the waterfall.

  


"Leap of faith, right?" Link said wryly. He tightened his arm around Zelda's waist, and they jumped through the waterfall.

  


The shock of icy water was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a small, sandy cave. Ivy vines crept up the walls and twisted about stalactites reaching from the ceiling. A short path led to a small pool in the back of the cave–lit, it seemed, by a silvery light below the surface of the water. Zelda stared around the cave, feeling chills rippling up her spine. It was not fear that she felt, nor unease; it was recognition.

  


"I've been here before," Zelda whispered.

Link looked at her sharply. "You feel it too?"

  


Zelda raised her eyes to his, wordless. She could think of nothing to say.

* * *

  


"Are you thirsty?" Link asked, towing her toward the small pool of water toward the back of the cave.

  


Zelda drew in a ragged breath, looking too tired even to answer. As Link set her down against the cave wall, he saw that blood had soaked through the linen binding her wound. _She's lost too much blood, _he thought with a flare of panic. _It's a wonder she's even still conscious._

  


He knelt before her, placing a hand on her pallid cheek. "Does it hurt?" he asked gently.

  


She smiled wearily at him. "Not so much now."

  


"Stay with me, okay?" he coaxed, trying to hide his worry. "You've come this far; it'd be such a waste to die now."

  


"Yeah." Zelda's eyes fluttered shut.

  


Link took his hand from her cheek. _Goddesses, _he thought grimly, _Farore, Nayru, Din–if you really exist, then you'll answer me now. Whatever you do, don't let her die. Please, just don't let her die._

  


A silver glow in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Link turned his head–Zelda opened her eyes and did the same–to see the mysterious light in the pool beside them was growing brighter. "What in Din's name...?" Zelda whispered.

  


A shape rose slowly from the pool, taking on form and detail. It was a woman, dressed in robes that seemed to be made of shimmering dewdrops; silvery-blue locks of hair stirred in an invisible wind, her skin radiant with the same silver light shining from the pool. Her eyes were black, glittering as if thousands of stars were contained within those unfathomable hues. Floating in midair, she looked upon the awed Link and Zelda, and smiled.

  


"Welcome, dear mortals." Her voice was a beautiful, clear melody, full of kindness. "I am the Great Fairy of the Lost Woods. How may I aid you?"

"Great Fairy...?" Link echoed dimly. "But–I thought–you only exist in stories!"

  


"That is what you mortals believe, yes," the Fairy replied benevolently. "My kind has been forced to hide away from the eyes of evil for many years now. The little ones are all but gone from this world. Only we Great Fairies remain, in hopes of aiding our beloved mortal companions, as we were once able to do when this land was ruled by purity."

  


Link glanced at Zelda, shivering and pale beside him. He couldn't think of anyone more in need of aid than her. "Great Fairy, my friend has been badly injured. Can you help her?"

  


"Of course." The Fairy's bare feet touched the floor of the cave. "Look at me, dear one," she coaxed Zelda gently. The Fairy placed her hands on either side of Zelda's face, their gazes locked together.

  


First Zelda's eyes fluttered shut, then the Great Fairy's. Nameless, sightless energies surrounded them, a power unlike anything known in the mortal world. At last the Fairy took her hands from Zelda's face, rising into the air to float over her pool once more. Zelda opened her eyes, and the weariness and pain were gone from them.

  


She blinked. "I think it's stopped bleeding," she said to Link.

  


He helped her to unwrap the blood-soaked linen. Both gasped when the last layer was peeled away–all traces of the wound were gone. There was only fresh, new skin.

  


"Goddesses," Link murmured, pulling Zelda against him. They held each other tightly for a few moments, wordless. 

  


"Thank you, Great Fairy," Zelda added when they parted.

  


The Fairy smiled sweetly at them. "It is my joy to be of aid to you in any way I can. Please, come to me whenever you are weary of this world and its troubles." She turned her lovely face toward the ceiling of the cave, eyes seemingly focused on something neither Link nor Zelda could see. "Ah," she whispered, eyes closing. "Do you hear it? The great ones are speaking. I hear their celestial harmony."

  


Link felt the hair on the back of his neck prickling. He heard something–a few short notes of a lyric-less song, sung in a voice that was unfathomably pure. He glanced at Zelda, and could tell by the expression on her face that she heard it too. 

  


"Yes...of course. I see." The Great Fairy opened her eyes and gazed upon them once more, smiling. "My dears, your time has come."

  


A shining circle of light appeared on the cave floor before them. "Step into the portal," the Fairy instructed. "It will take you to them."

  


"Take us to whom?" Zelda demanded.

  


"To the goddesses, child. To your destiny."

* * *

  


To be continued.

  
  
  
  



	15. In the Realm of the Goddesses

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Ah, it feels so good to finally be working on this fic again. To celebrate the dissipation of my last bout of writer's block, here's a new chapter! Much rejoicing!

  


***

  


Chapter 15

In the Realm of the Goddesses

  


"What do you think?" Zelda asked Link quietly.

  


He could see it in her eyes. She wanted to go. She wanted the mysteries that had surrounded them since the day they met solved; she needed the answers they sought. So did he.

  


Link took her hand, threading his fingers through hers, and smiled at her. "Let's go."

  


Zelda smiled back, then took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. As one, she and Link stepped into the portal. Instantly they were bathed in light; the world around them melted away into darkness, and they flew through an endless, star-filled sky.

* * *

  


Link breathed, inhaling the scent of damp earth. He became aware that he was lying on something cool and prickly; opening his eyes, he realized he lay flat on his belly in tall, lush grass, surrounded by a thick, dark forest. _The Lost Woods? _Link thought, confused.

  


He sat up, shaking his head to clear it, and took another look around. The grass beneath him was vividly green, the leaves on the tall, stately trees even more so, glittering with dewdrops like thousands of emerald jewels. Through the canopy overhead he caught glimpses of a night sky, deep black with the silver glimmer of stars.

  


"Zelda," Link said aloud, remembering. She was nowhere to be seen. "Zelda?"

  


Only the wind answered, whispering through the trees. Branches swayed and danced as if alive. A chorus of fireflies drifted through the small clearing, lighting the trees with their yellow glow. Link climbed to his feet, suddenly unnerved. Like the Fairy Fountain, there was something tangibly unnatural about this place. There was an energy in this forest, some kind of mystical power that was beyond his power to comprehend.

  


One thing he was certain of–he had to find Zelda. Link glanced around, then picked a direction and started walking. 

  


Save for the soft hum of the fireflies and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind, the woods were completely silent. Link heard none of the animal sounds one would expect to hear in a forest; not a single birdcall sounded from the leaves. 

  


Eventually Link caught a glimpse of something shimmering through the trees. He hurried toward the shimmer, relieved to spot anything other than trees and fireflies. Perhaps it was a familiar landmark with which he could place his bearings.

  


Instead, he found himself in another clearing, far larger than the one he'd woken in. The shimmer came from a broad lake, its surface smooth and glassy. A full silver moon reflected in the lake's dark waters. In the middle was a small island, on which a single willow tree stood. Amid its weeping branches stood a woman.

  


Link knew at first glance that this was no ordinary woman. She lit the broad clearing as if she were the sun itself, with an intense golden light that appeared to shine from within her. She was shining so brilliantly that it should have been difficult to look at her, yet her blinding light didn't hurt his eyes. She was naked as far as he could tell, golden hair tumbling down her neck, arms stretched gracefully over her head as she reached for the willow's branches. 

  


As if she sensed his presence, the woman suddenly turned her head toward him. Her face was concealed behind that incredible light, yet Link sensed her eyes on him all the same, studying him just as intently as he did her. Her arms fell to her sides; she moved away from the willow toward the edge of the island. Calmly she stepped out onto the glassy surface of the lake.

  


Link shrank back as the woman walked unhurriedly across the water, filled with a terror unlike anything he'd ever known. She could not possibly be human; nor was she a fairy full of kindness. His heart knew what his mind did not immediately perceive–she was a being beyond the mortal realm, and the terror that surged in him was answer to her uncompromising divinity. 

  


She was a Goddess.

* * *

  


Zelda awoke on a hard surface, feeling pins and needles in her arm where her head had rested. She sat up, gingerly rubbing the arm, and took a look around. She was lying on a marble floor in a great library, its ceiling raised far above her head. Dozens of bookcases were spaced all around her upon which handsome, leather-bound volumes were arranged neatly and carefully. A marble staircase to her right led up to a terrace where she could see yet more cases and books; a tall, gilded window was set in the wall across from the staircase, through which bright sunlight streamed.

  


Zelda climbed to her feet, looking around. "Link?" No one answered her call; Link was nowhere in sight. She glanced to her left and abruptly gasped.

  


There was an enormous, full-length mirror between two bookcases; Zelda stared at her reflection, dumbfounded. She wore not her usual frayed breeches and patched shirt, but a dress–no simple peasant's shift, either. It looked as though it were made for royalty, with its bodice and full skirt in a soft, petal-pink hue. The collar was cut below her shoulders, the sleeves ending at her elbows and draping into points. The hem of the skirt skimmed on the floor with a small train in the back. Over the gown was an open-ended surcoat favored by ladies of the noble class, a soft lavender color, tied at her waist by a leather girdle. Lavender-colored ribbons were woven through her hair, and a tiny, lacy gold crown completed the ensemble. 

  


"Wow," Zelda said dimly, staring at her reflection.

  


At some point during her scrutiny of herself she realized she'd better find Link, or at least someone who could tell her where she was. She glanced around once more, then headed up the marble staircase, the heels of her leather slippers tapping against the floor with each step. At the top of the stairs, between the rows and rows of bookcases, was a small round table and two chairs. Upon one of the chairs sat a woman.

  


She wore a white shift with full sleeves and a long, slender skirt, yet the simple dress could not dim her astonishing beauty. Even sitting she appeared unusually tall and strong, slender and generously curved. Her fair skin was as delicate and smooth as the petals of a flower; her hair a lovely tangle of chestnut brown curls, cascading down her back to her waist and woven through with silver ribbons. She lifted her head as Zelda tentatively approached, and in her lovely face were a pair of large eyes set beneath perfectly arched eyebrows, an extraordinary crystal blue, hard and glittering like diamonds.

  


"Welcome, Zelda," the woman said to her, rising in polite greeting. Her voice was astonishingly clear and pure, melodic as a finely tuned harp. 

  


Zelda remained where she was, uncertain. "How do you know my name?"

  


"I know all about you." There was something in the lady's voice that Zelda recognized–some lingering echo that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "You need not be afraid of me," she continued as if she read Zelda's mind. "You are welcome to explore my domain at your leisure."

  


Zelda shook her head. "Thank you, but there's someone I need to find."

  


"Oh?" The woman met her gaze directly. "Who?"

  


Zelda stared into those extraordinary crystalline eyes, suddenly at a loss for words. She knew there was indeed someone she had to find, but for the life of her she could not remember who.

  


"Have you forgotten?" the lady asked softly.

  


Zelda frowned, concentrating hard, but all that came to her were meaningless thoughts and images. She grasped at memories only to have them slip through her fingers like sand...frantically she scanned thoughts as she would the pages of a book, finding nothing–

  


"Relax." The pure voice of the strange woman broke through the search; her palm on Zelda's forehead was ice cold. "Empty your mind. Seek by instinct, not thought, and you will find what you are searching for."

_Yes, _Zelda thought, letting the lady's words fill her, thoughts emptying from her mind like water from a sieve. The world around her drained away, her awareness of the woman and the library and even herself fading. The subconscious part of her awakened somewhere deep inside, stirred, and rose to the surface.

  


Everything around her had suddenly changed. She was in a cold, dark place where echoes of things she did not understand lingered, where the woman beside her was gone and in her place, a tall, brilliantly glowing entity that frightened her beyond all reason. There were shadows all around her, gripping her in their power, consuming her, and the last vestige of her that was not terrified out of wit gave a final, anguished cry of desperation.

  


_"Link!"_

* * *

  


Link fell to his knees as the goddess stepped onto shore, no longer daring to look upon her. The terror coursing through him was absolute; he was unable to move or think, nor remember for what purpose he was here. He was aware only of the divine being kneeling before him and taking him into her arms.

His perception of the goddess changed, suddenly and drastically. She was no longer terrifying; she seemed to embody a feeling with which he was familiar yet distant–a feeling of warmth, of safety and security, of loving reassurance. It was then that he knew her–Farore. Giver of life to all mortal beings.

  


"Mother," Link whispered in amazement.

  


_"You have journeyed a long way to me, my dear son." _The goddess's voice was incredibly clear and pure, with a sweet musical echo. _"I am proud of you."_

  


Link wondered what he could possibly have done to make a goddess proud, and said so. 

  


_"You have survived,"_ Farore replied simply. _"You have come this far. Now you are ready and willing to embrace your destiny. The wheel of fate is at last turning."_

  


"Goddess, I..." He licked dry lips and tried again. "I don't know what my destiny is."

  


_"Dear man, your destiny has been before your eyes for some time now. You merely think you do not know it. But I will help you to see with eyes unclouded." _The goddess released him from her warm embrace, but took him firmly by the hand and guided him to the edge of the lake.

  


_"This is your destiny. This is what you seek." _Farore touched the glassy surface of the lake so that it began to ripple, and beneath the water appeared a shimmering image with which he was all too familiar.

  


"Zelda?" Link gasped. "I don't understand! How can she–how can Zelda be my destiny?"

  


He looked around for the answer, but Farore had disappeared. Wordlessly Link turned back to the solemn image of Zelda–his destiny, Link thought numbly. Then he heard her, her voice, as if she was right beside him–a terrified, anguished cry.

  


_"Link!"_

  


He whipped around. A mirror had appeared in the grass behind him, oval shaped and full-length–but it was not his reflection he saw behind the silvery glass. It was Zelda.

  


"Zelda!" he gasped.

  


Her head snapped to the side and their eyes locked, hers wild with terror. He could see plainly what frightened her so–inky, shapeless shadows wrapped around her, binding her, threatening to consume her. "Link!" she shrieked again, twisting to free an arm and reaching for him.

  


Link stared at her, heart pounding in his chest. It was him she cried for, his protection she sought–yet he sensed more than a mere glass barrier separating them, he sensed _dimensions–_and still, she cried for him.

  


He _had_ to protect her. He had never wanted anything more in his life.

  


Link plunged his arm through the mirror as if it were no more than a barrier of water. His hand grasped Zelda's and the worlds around them shattered like glass, breaking into millions of tiny pieces and falling away into a star-filled abyss. The next thing he knew, he and Zelda stood on nothing at all in the middle of the endless starry void. Link stared at Zelda, gripping her shoulders with shaking hands, and spoke the first thought that came to his mind.

  


"Why are you wearing a dress?"

  


Zelda shoved him hard, crying exasperatedly, "Is that _all_ you have to say to me?!" But the next instant she pulled him close and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  


_"Congratulations," _a voice interrupted their reunion.

  


Link and Zelda turned quickly. Two glowing, golden entities had appeared before them, permeating the abyss with their unyielding divinity. One of the divine beings, he knew, was Farore–but the other, a colder, more forbidding presence, was unknown to him.

  


Yet somehow, not to Zelda. "Nayru," she whispered, shrinking against Link as if afraid.

  


_"So you know me, Zelda." _The two mortals cringed at Nayru's voice. It was as pure and musical as Farore's, yet great and terrible, pounding through their skulls like a drum. _"I am pleased."_

  


"You were...the woman in the library?" Zelda asked uncertainly.

  


_"That is correct."_

  


Zelda gave an involuntary shudder. "What were those shadows?"

  


_"I created them," _was the goddess's indifferent reply. _"As a test."_

  


"A test–!" Zelda cried, struggling against Link. He held her fast, quite upset himself.

  


"Why would you endanger Zelda's life for a test?" he demanded with more fury than was wise of a mortal addressing a goddess. "For what purpose?"

  


_"The purpose was to test _you, _Link," _Farore replied in voice considerably warmer than that of her sister. _"Needless to say, you passed."_

  


"But I didn't do anything," Link said, confused.

  


_"You protected Zelda," _Nayru reminded him. _"You broke through dimensions in your desire to protect her."_

  


_"Do you understand now?" _Farore inquired gently. _"Do you now see what I meant when I told you she is your destiny? Zelda has been charged to your care, and you accepted this purpose–no, embraced it. Did you never wonder why you have unhesitatingly protected Zelda since the day you met her? Why you have stayed at her side despite what your better judgement has told you? You have done this unconsciously, and now you know why."_

  


_"To put it quite clearly, you are Zelda's guardian," _Nayru said coldly. _"You are to protect her at any cost. This is the task we have laid before you. The purpose of the test was to determine whether you would accept it."_

  


_"And you have," _added Farore.

  


Zelda and Link gazed at each other in silence. Almost unconsciously Link brushed a strand of hair away from Zelda's face, thinking that the question of whether he would protect her or not wasn't much of a question at all. "I would never have hesitated," he said, more to Zelda than to the two goddesses.

  


_"Zelda," _Nayru began, and Zelda turned somewhat reluctantly toward the goddess, _"you are surely wondering what _your_ purpose is."_

  


"I'm not sure I want to know," Zelda admitted.

  


_"Undoubtedly," _the goddess replied in her cold, indifferent voice. _"But mortals cannot choose their fates, so listen well, child. You, with Link to serve you, are to destroy Ganondorf, free Hyrule from his tyranny, and rule the land as Queen of Hyrule until the end of your days."_

  


The absurdity of this statement was followed by utter silence. Zelda's mouth moved, but no words came out. The goddesses were silent, waiting.

  


"I–what?" Zelda managed to sputter at last.

  


_"You are royalty," _Farore said patiently. _"You do not, of course, know this. You have lived your life believing you are a member of the peasant class. But in truth, my dear, you are the daughter of a queen."_

  


"Impossible," Zelda stated flatly. "Impa would have told me."

  


_"Impa is under our orders to keep her silence until the appropriate time," _Nayru countered. _"We preferred to impart the news ourselves."_

  


_"Have you never wondered who your parents were, and why Impa never told you anything about them?" _Farore encouraged.

  


"Well–" Zelda faltered. "Yes–yes, of course, but–"

  


_"Do you doubt the word of the goddesses?"_

  


"No, but–"

  


_"Then believe what we tell you," _Nayru interrupted. _"Once your true identity becomes known, the people of Hyrule will accept you as their ruler. You will lead them in a war to free this land. You will defeat Ganondorf. And you will restore this land to the peace and prosperity that existed many years ago."_

  


"I don't suppose that comes with a guarantee, does it?" Link asked weakly.

  


_"Of course not," _said Nayru. _"Zelda could easily die. That is what _you_ are to prevent."_

  


_"You will not be alone. You will have friends," _Farore assured them. _"You will have our guidance and patronage. And you will have the Triforce."_

  


"Triforce?" Link and Zelda asked in unison.

  


_"Our covenant with Hyrule. The sacred relic containing the power of the three goddesses. One piece of it is gone from us–it is in Ganondorf's hands. The other pieces are within the two of you."_

  


_"Awaken the Triforce within yourselves, and you will have immeasurable power," _said Nayru. _"Fail to awaken it and you will never defeat Ganondorf."_

  


"How do we awaken this Triforce?" Zelda demanded.

  


_"That is something you must discover for yourselves," _Farore said gently. _"It is part of your trials. You both have the will and strength to succeed. Believe this, and nothing will stop you. Now, it is time you return to the mortal realm."_

  


"Wait!" Zelda cried. "We can't go back yet! There are two many questions, too many–"

  


_"We have told you all we can at this time," _Nayru told her, not unkindly. _"The realm of the goddesses is governed by different laws than that of the mortal realm. We cannot interfere with fate. You will discover the rest on your own."_

  


Link and Zelda would have protested, but the world was already fading around them, turning to whiteness, then dark oblivion.

  


_"Go with our blessing," _they heard Farore intone. _"You are our Destined, chosen to save Hyrule."_

  


With a shock that made Link's head spin, he and Zelda abruptly found themselves within the Great Fairy's cave in the middle of the Lost Woods. Zelda still wore the beautiful gown. The Great Fairy was nowhere to be seen, but they were not alone. 

  


"Welcome back, my friends." Saria smiled and beckoned them toward the exit to the cave. "Please, come with me." She left the cave with every confidence that she would be followed. Link and Zelda exchanged a look, then went after her.

  


Demon waited outside the cave, peacefully munching a clump of grass. From the way he nuzzled Saria as the girl emerged from the Great Fairy Fountain with Zelda and Link, it was apparent that the two had made friends.

  


"This way," Saria added, and headed off into the woods. Link and Zelda hesitated for a moment, gazing at each other in silence.

  


"Why don't you ride?" Link finally asked, gesturing toward Demon. "You must be tired."

  


"So must you," Zelda replied somewhat defensively. _He really does try to protect me, _she couldn't help thinking. _Every moment, of every day._

  


Link smiled, mounted the heavyset gelding, and reached a hand to help Zelda up. "C'mon. Demon's strong, he won't mind two riders."

  


Zelda hesitated, but she didn't have the strength to argue. All her energy seemed to have abandoned her; she felt as though she might fall asleep on her feet at any moment. She took Link's hand and let him pull her up in front of him on Demon's broad back, arranging her long skirt so that she could comfortably ride sidesaddle. Link slid an arm around her waist to steady her.

  


Saria flitted through the trees as easily as the wind, often disappearing from their view. Demon, fortunately, seemed to know where he was going, for both Link and Zelda were far too weary to guide him. Exhausted, Zelda leaned back against Link; he lifted his free hand to sift gently through her hair.

  


Soon enough they came upon their destination–a small stone castle in the midst of the trees, half-crumbled, a ruin of what once must have been a glorious structure. Ivy snaked up the walls and spires of the castle and twisted about the pillars flanking the entrance. Saria sat on a fallen piece of stone beside the entrance, waiting.

  


"Welcome," the girl said as Link and Zelda dismounted and warily approached.

  


"What is this place?" Zelda inquired, scrutinizing the stone structure.

  


Saria smiled and rose from her seat. "The Forest Temple. Why don't you come in?"

  


Zelda exchanged a glance with Link, and they followed Saria inside the temple. It was dark and gloomy within the stone walls, dimly lit by flickering torches. Plants grew everywhere, from the sparse grass that grew through cracks in the stone floor to great, tall trees that rose along the walls like pillars, lifting strong, leafy branches to the heavens. The canopy of leaves completely obscured the ceiling, assuming there was one to conceal. Saria knelt on the cold floor in the middle of the great, empty foyer and motioned for Zelda and Link to join her.

  


Vines began to grow from splits in the floor beneath them and inch up Saria's legs, but she ignored them. "I imagine you must have many questions."

  


"Who are you?" Zelda and Link demanded, immediately and simultaneously.

  


Saria giggled, sounding for a brief moment like the little girl she so resembled. "My name is Saria. I am a sage–the Sage of Forest, to be precise."

  


Zelda blinked. "Sages? The elemental guardians of Hyrule? But they're just legends!"

  


"Not _just _legends," Saria replied patiently. "Before Ganondorf was King of Hyrule, six of us served the Queen–your mother," she added to Zelda. "Now there are only two of us left alive. I am one. Impa is the other."

Zelda gasped sharply. "Impa?!"

  


"The Sage of Shadow," Saria confirmed.

  


Zelda's face fell. "I see. So there are even more secrets I'm not aware of."

"Impa only kept these secrets in the interest of protecting you," Saria said kindly, slapping a thick vine that had begun to twine around her chest to make it retreat. "She knew that once you met Link, events would be set into motion. Ganondorf would become aware of your existence as the power of the Triforce within you began to awaken. You would be put through dangerous trials, eventually discovering the truth. She wanted so badly to protect you from your fate, knowing well that this is impossible."

"So that's why she never seemed to like me," Link realized suddenly. "Because I'm...I don't know...some sort of catalyst?"

"Exactly," said Saria gently. "It is your fate, and Zelda's, that the two of you should meet, forge a deep and lasting bond, and defeat Ganondorf at one another's side. It has always been so, throughout history."

  


It took a few moments for those words to sink in. "What do you mean, throughout history?" Zelda demanded, staring at the sage. "This has all...this has happened before?"

  


"I told you that I and five other sages served your mother, yes?" Saria looked at her, meeting her eyes directly. "Your mother was the seventh sage, the greatest of us all–the Sage of Time. Her name was Zelda. And your father's name was Link."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	16. Love Out of Time

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


This will be the last update until after my break, during which I go home and find myself with no access to a computer. ^_^ It'll be a little over a week before you can expect to see an update again. I'm glad for the break, even with no-computer-access. I've been driving myself crazy this week with midterms and all sorts of crap, I'll be so glad when it's all over and I can relax a bit. College midterms are _hard._

  


Anyway, this is an unusually long chapter, so hopefully it'll tide you over for a while. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 16

Love Out of Time

  


"My mother and father...were Zelda and Link?" Zelda echoed dimly. "How can that be?"

  


"Link and Zelda are born every generation there is need for them," Saria said quietly. "They are born when evil threatens the peace of Hyrule. It is their duty, their fate, to destroy evil. Namely, Ganondorf.

  


"There is a balance in Hyrule," the sage continued, and Link and Zelda leaned forward to catch every word, aware that they were hearing more of the many mysteries that surrounded them. "It is created by the three goddesses and epitomed by three mortals–Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf. These mortals carry within them the essence of the goddesses and the balance that they create in the heavens, reflecting it in the mortal realm. Light and darkness, good and evil, are balanced between these entities. 

  


"When peace reigns in the land, it is inevitable that Ganondorf will appear to destroy it. In times of evil and despair, it is the fate of Link and Zelda to bathe Hyrule in light and restore it to purity. This is the cycle that has existed since the dawn of time. You are not the first Link and Zelda, and you will not be the last."

  


"So what you're saying," Zelda demanded, "is that even if Link and I do end up destroying Ganondorf, he'll just be reborn and conquer Hyrule again? That even after our deaths, this cycle will go on and on?"

  


"Yes," Saria said calmly, though Zelda detected a hint of sorrow in the girl's voice. "It has always been so. It will always be so. So it was with your mother, for whom Link defeated Ganondorf, sealing him away in the void of the Sacred Realm. She who ruled in peace and prosperity for many, many years, until Ganondorf escaped the void and set the cycle in motion once again. She who died at the hand of the Black King. These are her memories that I share with you, so that you might better understand."

* * *

  


"Thus far Ganondorf's forces have conquered the Lake Hylia region, Gerudo Valley, and the Kokiri Village," reported General Valan, marking a careful X through each region on the large map tacked on the wall. The best and brightest of Zelda's kingdom, including the Queen herself, were seated around the table in the conference room–Zelda preferred that name to war room–discussing the crisis of Ganondorf's takeovers. 

  


"South of Lon Lon Ranch, Hyrule Field is virtually no man's land," Valan continued, his taut voice and white-knuckled fists betraying his anger. As the commander of the armies of Hyrule, he was responsible for when, where, and how the troops went into battle. In recent battles their side had encountered enemy numbers greater than anything they'd anticipated, resulting in vast slaughters of their men. Valan felt these losses more than anyone, possibly excepting Zelda.

  


"As we all know, the recent massacres have left our forces greatly weakened." Valan's voice was hard, hiding the sorrow he felt for so many lost lives. "Ganondorf, on the other hand, has armies of monsters at his command. The Zora have recognized the crisis at last and agreed to join forces with us, while the Gorons are holding their own under Darunia's command, but we have a long, hard war ahead of us." Valan paused grimly. "And I am not sure we can win it."

  


"What course of action do you propose we take?" Zelda asked quietly.

  


Valan drew in a long breath. "Utilize the power of the sages. Command the elements against Ganondorf."

  


Zelda glanced around at the other conference attendees. Impa, Saria, Nabooru, and Rauru met her gazes calmly. Ruto and Darunia were with their people in the Zora Fountain and Goron City, but through the collective mental connection of the sages they could hear all that was said.

  


_What do you think?_ Zelda inquired through their mental link.

  


_We _could_ use our powers against Ganondorf,_ Impa said slowly. _Of course, we'd then risk destroying all of Hyrule, not to mention ourselves._

  


_If we joined forces we would support each other and lower the risk to our own lives,_ Rauru pointed out. _However, it's uncertain whether the land would be able to handle our combined powers._

  


_On the other hand,_ Nabooru added, _if we work alone we put our own lives on the line._

  


_Yes,_ Zelda agreed grimly. As the Sage of Time, she knew better than anyone the abilities and limitations of the sages.

  


_I could flood Lake Hylia,_ Ruto announced. _Ganondorf's troops are setting up a camp on the shore._

  


_Yes, and destroy a year's worth of crops in the process,_ Rauru said dryly.

  


_If you have a better idea–_

  


_Enough,_ Zelda said firmly. _We have enough to worry about without starting fights amongst ourselves._

  


There was a silence.

  


At last Saria said quietly, _My powers are already at use guarding the Lost Woods from invasion. What Kokiri are left have fled to the sanctuary of the forest. I cannot compromise their safety._

  


_From the Kokiri Village, Ganondorf will likely move his armies to Death Mountain,_ Darunia added. _My powers are all but useless–I can't even protect my own domain without risking a volcanic eruption!_

  


Valan and the other conference attendees were quiet throughout the mental exchange, waiting for the sages' decision. Zelda looked at Valan.

  


"Utilizing the sages is not a matter to be taken lightly," she said quietly. "Should the elements ever escape our control, the results could be catastrophic."

  


"Your Majesty, if the sages don't take action the results _will _be catastrophic!" Valan cried. "We are facing the destruction of our world as we know it! You must understand the seriousness of the situation!"

  


Zelda rose to her feet. "Calm yourself, General Valan," she ordered sharply, holding the man's gaze with her own until he looked away. 

"No one understands the situation better than I," the Queen continued levelly. "However, there are some risks we simply cannot afford to take. The sages will discuss this matter further and decide on our course of action." She looked around at the others. "The meeting is adjourned. We will meet again tomorrow."

Valan rolled up his map and left, talking urgently with his second in command. The sages left together, excepting Zelda, who trailed behind as she thought.

  


_I suppose I knew when Ganondorf escaped the void that this day would come. It is destiny, after all. The cycle must fulfill itself._

  


"Your Majesty?"

  


Zelda glanced to her right. A maid waited for her outside the conference room, sinking into a respectful curtsy at the Queen's attention.

  


"Master Link has returned," she said simply.

  


Zelda gasped. "He's come back? Is he well?"

  


"He looked well," the maid offered. "I spoke to him only briefly. He asked merely that I tell you of his return."

  


"Where is he?"

  


"In Your Majesty's chambers." The maid frowned. "I was not certain Your Majesty would approve, but he insisted."

  


"It is fine." The goddesses knew that the only place in this entire palace where she was granted any real privacy was her own chambers. How very like Link to realize that. "I will go to see him now. Thank you for your trouble."

  


"No trouble at all, Your Majesty," the maid assured her earnestly, curtsying once more.

  


Striding quickly through the halls of the palace, Zelda was distressed to realize that she felt quite apprehensive. She supposed it must be somewhat normal, considering that she hadn't seen Link in nearly six months. She'd had to say her farewells then, for Link was determined to find Ganondorf and put an end to the war, and not a day had gone by that she hadn't worried herself sick for him. She wondered if he had indeed found and destroyed Ganondorf, though it seemed unlikely considering the recent activity of the enemy forces.

  


It didn't matter. All that mattered was that Link was safe.

  


Outside the double doors leading to her chambers Zelda hesitated, her hand poised over a doorhandle. She touched the handle, then carefully turned it, opening one of the unlocked doors.

  


She slipped inside. It was late at night and no light shone save for the watery moonlight that trickled through the windows, casting a silver sheen upon the floor. The shadows in her rooms were impenetrable.

  


"Link?" she called softly.

  


The door closed behind her with an audible click, and Zelda was abruptly caught up in Link's arms. 

  


She wondered if her sudden lightheadedness had anything to do with his almost painful embrace, or if his mere presence, his nearness, was what caused her head to swim and her knees to tremble weakly. Then his lips found hers and every thought was erased from her mind; she felt nothing but his arms around her and his desperate, passionate kiss.

  


The kiss seemed to go on forever, yet it was over in no time at all. Link kept an arm wrapped firmly around her waist, for which Zelda was grateful–without it her knees would undoubtedly give way. His blue eyes were soft as he examined her, his free hand sifting gently through her hair. Dizzily Zelda wondered if he realized he had kissed her for the first time in all the years they'd known each other, with no warning or preemptive.

"You're–you're rather affectionate today," she said breathlessly.

  


Link cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again, gently. "Six months in the field will do that to a man," he said quietly when they parted. 

  


"Did you find Ganondorf, then?" Zelda asked as calmly as she could manage.

  


"No," Link admitted ruefully, glancing away from her. "I found plenty of his monsters, but not him. The bastard's hiding himself. He'll wait until he has enough power, then make his move."

  


Zelda agreed. She examined Link warily, not liking the weariness in his eyes or his pallid face.

  


"You took care of yourself?" she asked worriedly. "No injuries?"

  


"Just a scratch on my shoulder," Link murmured.

  


Zelda wasn't appeased. In all the time she'd known him, she'd learned that Link tended to dramatically understate injuries. "Let me see the wound," she demanded, attempting to pull away, but Link held her tightly.

  


"It's nothing," he assured her, pressing his lips to her temple. "Just let me hold you for a while, okay?"

  


Zelda bit her lip. She wanted to, badly, only she knew what that might lead to. Why was he doing this? Why now, after so many years?

  


She pulled away, gently but firmly. "Sit on the bed," she ordered, "and remove your tunic. I just want to take a look."

  


"Can't wait to get my shirt off, eh?" he teased, obeying.

  


"Don't joke like that." Her heart was brimming with emotion–whether it was sorrow or gladness, she wasn't sure. She felt that if he kissed her again, she would shatter and die.

  


He looked at her and seemed to understand. "I'm sorry."

  


Zelda nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and sat down on the bed next to him. She unwrapped the makeshift bandage around his shoulder with fingers that shook, revealing a long, angry gash below his collarbone.

  


"This is a 'scratch' to you?" Zelda demanded.

  


He smiled sheepishly. "Well, it doesn't hurt much."

  


"That doesn't mean you can just forget about it," she chided. "I knew you wouldn't have taken care of this properly." She promptly turned on her heel and marched into her dressing room. "You just wait, I'll have it stitched in a moment."

  


"Stitched?" Link repeated, alarmed, as Zelda reappeared in the bedroom with a small chest in hand. "Are you sure that's necessary?"

  


"Oh, don't be such a child." Zelda set the chest down on the bed next to him and opened it to reveal rolls of linen bandages, healing solutions in corked vials, and surgical thread and needles. "You can take wounds like this without a blink, but start quaking at a few pricks of a needle?"

  


"You don't feel this kind of wound," Link protested as she deftly threaded a very slim needle. "You're distracted in the middle of battle–"

  


"You'd feel it if it remained open and became infected," Zelda said calmly, sitting on a stool before him. "Now hold still and be quiet."

Link obediently kept still and made no complaints while she stitched the gash on his shoulder with quick, deft strokes, his face pale and set. When she finished Zelda applied a solution to aid healing and prevent infection, then wrapped the wound anew in a fresh bandage. Done, she gathered her materials in her chest and closed it, then rose to put it away, but Link wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his face against her chest.

  


Zelda drew in a sharp breath. "Link..."

  


He kissed her breast, over her heart. "I can feel your heart beating," he murmured. "It's pounding like a drum."

  


She couldn't help but laugh a bit. "I'm not surprised."

  


He stroked the curve of her hip softly. "And you're shaking..."

  


Zelda was unable to make a reply to that. Link rose to his feet, gathering her in his arms, and kissed her forehead. "You're not afraid, are you?" he murmured against her skin.

  


Zelda swallowed. "A little. Only because I've never–I've never done this before."

Link abruptly pulled back to stare at her in astonishment. "That's not funny."

  


Zelda colored hotly. "Of course it isn't funny, it's the truth!"

  


"How is that possible?" he demanded. "Do you have any idea how many men in this kingdom are in love with you?"

  


Zelda shook her head. "They love the queen, not the woman," she said softly. "But you–you're the only one who has ever seen the true me, beyond a queen or a sage or anything else. Knowing this, how could I possibly give myself to anyone but you?"

  


Link brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingered at her cheek. "If you wanted me," he asked tentatively, "why didn't you just say something?" 

  


Zelda's blush deepened. "I was never sure whether you felt the same way," she admitted. "Even if you did see me as a woman, maybe I was always just your friend, rather than your–"

  


"Love?" Link suggested boldly, pulling her closer. "I would have thought that was obvious." His voice pitched lower. "In my entire life I've only ever loved one woman."

  


"Link," Zelda said helplessly before his lips found hers.

  


"Can I...?" he whispered when they parted, kissing her temple.

  


She wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes. "Yes."

* * * 

  


Months passed in a blur. Ganondorf's forces continued to invade and conquer every region in Hyrule, moving farther and farther north. It was quite obvious what the Black King intended–he was leaving Hyrule Castle, Zelda, and Link for last. Only after he had all of Hyrule in his grasp would he dare attack his greatest opponents.

  


Three months before his child was to be born, Link returned to the war, leaving Zelda to await the birth. She knew she would probably never see him again. They were going to die soon, she and Link both, leaving the future of Hyrule to a new generation. In this way the cycle would fulfill itself and the wheel of destiny would spin anew. She accepted this quietly, determined to safely give birth to her child before her death.

  


A month before the anticipated date, Ganondorf's forces attacked Hyrule Castle and brought it to ruin. What remained of Zelda's kingdom, including the Queen herself, fled to Kakariko Village. She listened to her generals, approved battle plans, helped create new strategies. Each day brought news of loss and devastation. Her troops were being slaughtered by Ganondorf's merciless armies. They continued to fight, but Zelda knew it was in vain. Hyrule was falling, once again, into darkness.

  


One day, when Zelda rested in a tent against the heat and humidity, awaiting the birth that would surely come about any day now, Impa found her. The sage was stark white and visibly shaking. Looking at her, Zelda knew; still, it was a shock to hear it spoken aloud.

  


"Link is dead."

  


Zelda did not answer for several long moments. At last she croaked, her throat dry as dust, "When?"

  


Impa gave her a flask of water, from which she drank gratefully. "This morning. He encountered Ganondorf. The Black King slew him."

  


"The Triforce?" Zelda asked.

  


"In the hands of the goddesses."

  


Zelda smoothed her skirt with hands that shook. "How are you certain?"

  


"I felt it," Impa replied simply. "I am the Sage of Shadow, after all."

  


"Is he at rest?"

  


"Yes. I went to find his spirit as soon as I felt him fall. He was in Farore's arms. I took him to the land of the dead. He is at peace."

  


"Good." Zelda's eyes burned, but she could not weep. She stood shakily–Impa immediately grasped her arm to steady her. "I should like to pray for him. Take me to the shrine, if you–" She abruptly stopped.

  


"Zelda?" Impa demanded sharply, her eyes filled with concern.

  


"Pains," the Queen said faintly. "I feel sharp pains in my back."

  


Impa immediately released her and threw open the flap of the tent. "You," she called sharply to someone outside. "Run and get the midwife. Now." She turned on her heel and guided Zelda back to her chair, briskly and calmly. "I expected this. The shock has put you into labor. At least it isn't premature." The sage pressed a cool, dry hand to Zelda's forehead. "I know it is difficult, but you must try to put Link from your mind. You will have a much easier time with the labor. Grieve later, after you have given birth."

  


Zelda merely nodded. Impa's cautions were unnecessary. She knew well that nothing was more important than giving birth to a healthy child. Not even Link.

* * *

  


As expected, Zelda gave birth quickly and easily, after just ten hours of labor. They wrapped the infant in clean cloth and placed her into her mother's arms. She was a girl, with just the barest shadow of blond hair atop her head and large, inquisitive blue eyes.

  


Impa sat beside Zelda later as the infant sucked at her mother's breast. "What will you name her?" the sage inquired softly, stroking the girl's head with a gentleness that belied her fearsome visage.

  


Zelda was quiet for several long moments, gazing into the eyes of her daughter. "I leave that to you," she replied at last, glancing up.

  


Impa met Zelda's eyes, startled. "You mean...?"

  


"Yes." Zelda gently drew away from her daughter's hungry suckling, wrapping her tightly in her cloths. The infant began to cry as Zelda placed her in Impa's arms. "As soon as I am well enough, I am going after him." 

  


Impa began, "I'll go–"

  


"By myself," Zelda added firmly. 

  


"You'll die," Impa informed her flatly.

  


"Almost certainly," Zelda agreed, smiling at her daughter. "But I'll be with him. As for this one–" She stroked her daughter's cheek, and the infant grasped her finger in a surprisingly strong grip. "You must raise her to survive under Ganondorf's rule. She is to save Hyrule."

  


"Of course," Impa murmured. "I'll do all in my power to keep her safe."

  


"Until she meets her destiny," Zelda added softly. "From then on, the future is in her hands." The woman rose with some difficulty and tottered toward the tent flap.

  


"Her name will be Zelda," Impa said firmly, "after the greatest woman I have ever known."

  


The Queen nodded without speaking, and let the flap close behind her.

* * *

  


Zelda waited a month and a half until she had returned to full health. During that time she barely saw her daughter, knowing well that if she did, she would never be able to leave. Rumors spread through the village like wildfire; the villagers whispered that the resistance would soon surrender to Ganondorf. Zelda said nothing. She knew that once she was found gone, Valan and the others would likely give in, as the rumors suggested.

  


_And Ganondorf will be king of Hyrule,_ she thought wearily. _But there is no way to stop it. At least this way, I can have some measure of revenge._

  


So, when she had returned at last to the peak of health, Zelda dressed in breeches and shirt, mounted a horse, and rode from the village in the middle of the night. The goddesses were with her; dark clouds hid the moon and no one saw her make her quiet escape. Unhindered, she rode for the south.

  


The journey took well over two days. Zelda set a calm, unhurried pace, stopping to rest and water the horse often. It would not do to kill her only mount. When she encountered enemies she hid rather than engage them, or worked her magic to briefly freeze time, allowing her to pass with her foes none the wiser. She rode on.

  


At last she reached the desert, where Ganondorf resided amongst the Gerudo. His fortress was swarming with the Gerudo themselves and an untold number of monsters, but Zelda was unconcerned. The power needed to pass them safely was immeasurable, but she had been preparing for this moment her entire life. 

  


She halted a safe distance from the fortress, dismounted, and, with a whisper of thanks, slapped the horse's rump to get him moving toward the north. She would need him no longer.

  


She walked to the fortress. She walked calmly, unafraid, to her death.

  


Sentries took notice of her and sounded the alarm; warriors raced to attack. Zelda halted in the midst of them and reached deep inside herself, calling forth the entity known only as the Sage of Time. The entity rose from the depths of her soul, gripping her in its power, its consciousness sliding over hers to take control. She opened her mouth, and the Sage of Time spoke in her voice.

  


_"Heed me."_ Its power flowed through the fabric of space and time, gripping the threads of time in its iron grasp. _"Henceforth time shall not pass for all here but Zelda and the Black King. In the name of the goddesses, I command it."_

  


When the Sage of Time retreated into the depths of her body, Zelda found all around her halted. Weapons raised in the air but did not come down; faces froze in masks of rage. Even the flowing of the river far below in Gerudo Valley had stopped. 

  


Nothing could stop her now. Carrying only a dagger on her belt, Zelda entered Ganondorf's fortress.

  


The Black King himself awaited her in the foyer. "I knew you would come after I killed him," he told her. "You want your revenge. And you prefer not to wait for death; you would rather come for it." A smile spread over his lips. "Do you ever think it strange how well we know each other?"

  


"If the threads of fate had spun differently, you, Link, and I may have been the best of friends," Zelda replied truthfully. 

  


"Yes." Ganondorf reached behind him, gripping the hilt of a sword sheathed on his back. He drew the enormous, black blade with slow deliberation. "But now is not the time for 'what if's. I will give you what you have come for."

  


"You will never win," Zelda told him quietly. "My descendants will destroy you."

  


"As mine will destroy yours." He stepped toward her, baring his teeth in a grin. "The threads of fate will never break. You know as well as I that the cycle will go on. It must go on."

  


"That is why I hate the balance," Zelda confessed, focusing her energy for the attack. "It sows peace, but reaps bitterness. But I do not hate you."

  


"Nor I you," Ganondorf agreed, almost cheerfully. He stopped walking and smiled. "Go on. Attack me first for your satisfaction. Think of it as a parting gift–between friends."

  


"I thank you." Zelda closed her eyes, the power of the goddesses flooding through her veins. It filled her, welling inside of her until she thought she might burst. The Triforce mark burned on the back of her hands. She bit her lip against the pain, taking the power into her control, bending it to her will–preparing to thrust it from her very soul–

  


Then pain bit into her middle with a shock that made her stagger. Zelda fell to her knees as the pain seared through her body, white-hot and excruciating. 

  


She opened her eyes to find the Black King's blade impaled through her middle.

  


"I thought you were to give me the first attack," she whispered, her voice already failing.

  


"I lied," Ganondorf hissed, his grinning face close to hers. "You hate the balance, Zelda? I adore it. It allows for evil in this world. The balance of the goddesses you love so much–it keeps evil alive." He yanked his sword from her body and Zelda slumped forward, a hand pressed to the gaping wound as if that alone could bind it. Blood spilled through her fingers to the floor. 

  


Ganondorf gazed upon her, eyes alight with triumph. "So you die, Queen of Hyrule." He made a contemptuous noise and turned from her. "Go. Join your lover in the shadows. I wish you both well."

  


No. It was not over. It couldn't be–not like this. Goddesses, lend me strength, Zelda thought, struggling to raise herself to her knees. The pain overwhelmed her and she nearly fell forward again. Please, she thought desperately, tears coursing down her cheeks. Please, Link. Help me.

  


Her vision swam as consciousness threatened to leave her, and in a reverie, she saw Link. He knelt before her, smiling, and took her into his arms. Warmth and light filled her.

  


Zelda opened her eyes. She stood, filled with a strength that was not, could not be, her own. Ganondorf, sensing it, turned back. His eyes widened with shock and fear.

  


_Is this what it feels like to be a goddess?_ Zelda wondered as she faced her greatest enemy for the last time. _Or is this merely myself, the true self, hiding beneath this shell for so long?_

  


"Who are you?" Ganondorf demanded, staring at her wide-eyed, his face twisted into a mask of hatred. "How dare you defy me? Go into death, you disgusting spirit!"

  


Zelda smiled, gathering this new, golden power. "I will not. I refuse to die until it is finished–entirely. Even if I must defy the goddesses themselves, I will not rest. Not until evil is banished from this world."

  


"You cursed fool," Ganondorf whispered. "You will destroy the balance."

  


"Yes," she said savagely, "I _will_ destroy it! _I will break the threads of fate!"_

She unleashed the power in the form of blinding lances of light. Ganondorf screamed as the light pierced him, burning into his blackened heart. The light, warmth, and energy fled Zelda's body, leaving her nothing but an empty husk, and her soul, released at last, spiraled down into dark, soothing shadow. 

  


_It is done,_ Zelda told Impa wearily as the sage came to her. _My last defiance of this lifetime. But Ganondorf lives yet._

  


_You will have another chance,_ Impa said gently.

  


_My daughter–_

  


_I have promised to care for her,_ Impa reminded her. _It is time to let go, my dear. He is waiting for you._

  


At the end of the shadows was Link, a warm, golden presence she knew so well. _Thank you, _Zelda told Impa, one last time.

  


She went into her lover's arms.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	17. Desert Storm

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Hime's back, baby! I had a much-needed break last week, it was great to be home without a care. It's nice to be back in school, though. I've been so busy since coming back that I've had no time to upload a new chapter; I just kept forgetting. But I've remembered now (obviously), so here's Chapter 17 for you.

  


I also want to thank you all for the very positive feedback to Chapter 16, it was really appreciated. I was extremely nervous about the previous chapter's reception, but feedback was entirely positive and enthusiastic. You guys make my day every day, thanks very much.

  


Enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 17

Desert Storm

  


Saria showed Zelda a small courtyard in the middle of the temple through which a small brook flowed. The sun had since risen and beamed gently upon soft grass and flowers, trees and shrubs, ivy crawling up the stone walls of the temple. Zelda sat on a marble bench beside the stream and tried to make sense of everything she'd learned.

  


Foremost in her mind was the life and death of her mother and father. Not a day had gone by when Zelda didn't wonder who her parents were, what they were like, how they died. Now she knew. A different time, a different place, yet still Zelda and Link, still Destined. _Was their love destiny, too? _Zelda wondered, considering her own tumultuous feelings for Link. _Or did they choose to love of their own will?_

  


Then there was her and Link's fates, the tasks that had been laid before them by the goddesses. She, Zelda, was royalty–the collective memories Saria had shared with her was proof of that. She wouldn't be surprised if Impa had more proof hidden away somewhere, perhaps even birth documents. She was indeed royalty, destined to someday rule Hyrule–as a queen, like her mother? Could she really do such a thing?

  


_Assuming, of course, that Link and I don't die before then, _Zelda thought wearily. Bearing against Ganondorf was such a ridiculous notion that she had never even considered it. Defeating him seemed utterly impossible.

  


For the first time in her life she understood why Impa had held her silence for so long. Apart from the goddesses' orders, Impa simply wanted to protect Zelda from a burden she thought too great to bear.

  


"Zelda?" a quiet voice interrupted her musings. Link hesitated uncertainly, then sank down onto the bench beside her. "You okay?"

  


"I don't know," Zelda replied truthfully. "This is all...it's too much, too sudden. I don't know what to think or feel."

  


Link said nothing, but took her hand, weaving his fingers through hers. Zelda felt her breath catch in her throat at the contact. She knew that Saria had given Link the memories as well–that he had experienced, too, the love her parents felt for each other. It was different than just hearing of someone's memories; Zelda herself had been there, in another time and place, with a man she knew so well. She wondered if Link had felt the same.

  


_Is it real, what I feel for him and his feelings for me? _Zelda wondered, unable to tag the emotion with any risky words. _Or is it just some part of our destiny?_

  


As if he might have heard her thoughts, Link touched her face, sliding his fingers under her chin and lifting it until she met his eyes. He gazed at her silently, tracing her lower lip with his thumb. 

  


"Link," she said unsteadily, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.

  


She was perfectly still as he kissed her lips, along her jawline, her neck. It was difficult to believe that just a day ago they'd been so close yet so distant, hardly touching, both subconsciously aware of what they felt for each other yet unable to act on it. _But these are my feelings, _Zelda told herself as Link drew her into his arms. _Not fate, and not someone else's._

  


Then Link kissed her again, and she forgot about destiny, Ganondorf, everything. Only one thing in the world was she certain of, and this was it.

* * *

  


Even with all that had happened since the fateful night in Hyrule Field, the thieves weighed heavily on Zelda's mind. She decided to ask Saria what had become of them, hoping beyond all hope that the sage would somehow know.

  


Miraculously, she did. "Your friends are in the Gerudo Fortress in the desert," Saria said serenely. "They are being held prisoner in the hopes that you will come for them. The Gerudo twins, Azura and Arjuna, followed you into the field. When you and Link were separated from the thieves, the twins attacked with a squad of Gerudo, captured your friends, and took them south to the fortress. They are waiting for you to come to rescue them so that they may capture _you_ instead."

  


Link and Zelda gaped at the sage long after she was finished. "How do you know all of this?" Link demanded at last.

  


"I have been conferring with Impa," Saria said simply. "Once sages are awakened, they are linked mentally to all other sages, and can speak through their thoughts. Impa is with your friends now in the Gerudo fortress."

  


Zelda glanced at Link. He nodded, resigned. "I'm going for them," she announced, looking at the sage again.

  


"You realize that you will be walking into a trap," Saria said quietly. "It is _you _Ganondorf is after, not the thieves."

  


"I'm aware of that," Zelda said calmly. "But I won't abandon them. I can't."

  


Saria nodded. "Very well. Ready yourselves, and I will take you to the desert. Zelda, come with me."

She led Zelda to a small room aside the main foyer, containing a mirror and a small wooden chest. She knelt before the chest and passed her hand over it; the top sprang open. Saria gathered the contents of the chest into her arms and turned to Zelda, smiling.

  


"My clothes!" Zelda gasped, moving forward to take the garments from Saria.

  


"I thought you would need them," the sage explained. 

  


Zelda quickly shed the surcoat and gown without a care for the fine garments, and, leaving them lying on the floor, pulled on her old, patched white shirt and full, navy blue breeches. She strapped on her leather arm guards, painfully aware that she had left her bow and arrows somewhere in Hyrule Field, and tied her hair back from her face with a leather thong. Done, she scrutinized herself in the mirror. Her clothes were nowhere near as lovely as the gown, but she felt at home in them.

  


When she turned, Saria was offering her longbow, already strung, and quiver of arrows. "I thought you might need these, too."

  


Zelda knelt so that she and Saria were eye-to-eye took her weapons into shaking hands. Her eyes burned, and tears spilled suddenly down her cheeks. The sage calmly took the bow and arrows back from Zelda, placing them on the floor, and drew her into her arms.

  


"I'm sorry," Zelda sobbed against the small girl's shoulder. "I don't know why I'm crying."

  


"In less than two days your entire life has turned upside down," Saria said practically. "You've suffered through more hardships than some people will experience in a lifetime. Now you must risk your life yet again. Of course you're crying."

  


As abruptly as they started the tears ended. Zelda sat back on her heels, rubbing her eyes with the back of one hand. "I'm still sorry," she muttered, heartily embarrassed over her moment of weakness. "Don't tell Link about this. Please."

  


"Of course not." Saria offered a hand to help Zelda to her feet. "You're stronger than you know, Zelda. You remind me so much of your mother."

  


"How old _are_ you, anyway?" Zelda wondered as they went back to the main foyer.

  


"About fifty years old. We Kokiri do not die unless we leave the forest. I have left the forest many times, and my immortality has seeped away. Thus, I will die." Saria smiled. "But not for some time."

  


"What about Impa?" Zelda asked, unnerved by the talk of death. "She must be very old as well, if she knew my mother."

  


"Older than you can imagine," Saria said quietly. "Older than any of us know. When you were birthed, she was there. When your mother was birthed, she was there. She may well be immortal herself."

  


"I wouldn't be surprised," Link muttered as they approached him in the main foyer, having overheard. He blinked at Zelda. "What happened to the dress?"

  


"I have it," Saria explained, "and will keep it. You may need it someday." She looked thoughtfully at Link for a moment, then pointed to the sword on his back. "You'd best give me that, as well."

  


Link's hand went to the hilt as if by instinct, but he took a breath and let it go. "Why?"

  


"If you fail to rescue your friends and are captured by Ganondorf, this sword must not be in your possession," Saria replied seriously. "It is the only sword in the world that can defeat the Black King. Ganondorf knows this. If he destroys the sword..."

  


"The cycle will be broken!" Zelda gasped. "So there _are_ ways to break it!"

  


"No," Saria said sharply. "The cycle exists for a _purpose._"

  


"I don't accept that!" Zelda argued. "Why must Link and I try to defeat Ganondorf if he's just going to rise to power again? What's the _point?"_

  


"To maintain balance," Saria said quietly.

  


Link gripped Zelda's arm before she could reply. "I know," he told her softly when she glared at him. "But we have to save our friends first. There's time for debates later."

  


Zelda took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. He was right, as much as she hated to admit it. "You said something about transporting us?" Link asked Saria.

  


"Yes." Saria spread her hands, and light flowed from her palms, sparkling and tinted emerald. It created a shining circle on the floor, much like the portal that had appeared in the Great Fairy's cave. "I believe you know what to do," the sage said quietly, raising her eyes to look from Link to Zelda. "Good luck, my friends."

  


"Thank you." Zelda glanced at Link and, hesitant, took his hand. He smiled at her, squeezing her hand reassuringly. In unison they stepped into the portal and were bathed in light, taken to a faraway land that smelled of harsh, dry wind and old blood.

* * *

  


"You call this a rescue?"

  


The familiar, wry voice was the first thing Link heard when he opened his eyes in the desert. His hand reached for a sword that wasn't there, but it was no matter–he'd no qualms whatsoever about killing the bastard with his bare hands. Only Zelda's restraining arms around his middle kept him from doing so.

  


"Link–! What are you doing?!"

  


"Dammit, Zelda–"

  


Ronin stepped back, holding up his hands in an appeasing gesture. "You have it wrong, my friend. I'm here to help you."

  


"Like hell you are," Link snapped. 

  


"Link–"

  


"Zelda, you heard what Impa and Saria said about him at the river," Link interrupted, shaking her off. "I'd bet my right arm he's been conspiring against us."

  


"Yes, but..." Zelda flushed. "Couldn't we just hear what he has to say?"

  


Link stared at her exasperatedly, furious that Ronin still had some kind of hold over her emotions. "Fine." He turned abruptly to Ronin. "Admit it. You're working for Ganondorf, aren't you?"

  


Ronin laughed. "Working for Ganondorf?" he echoed derisively. "Don't be ridiculous. It's much more fun on your side." He gave Zelda a little smile and Link's intense desire to kill him was rekindled. 

  


Zelda put a hand on Link's arm, gazing levelly at Ronin. "Does that mean you're going to help us?"

  


Ronin shrugged. "Looks like I have to, if your idea of a rescue consists of the two of you charging _that." _He indicated the Gerudo Fortress, situated far below them in a valley of sand. The structure appeared as though a giant child had assembled blocks together, piling sand around the outside of the fortress to fortify it. A wall circled the length of the fortress, broken by a tall, heavy wooden gate. They could make out dozens of purple-clad Gerudo patrolling through the fort and on top of the wall. Zelda had no doubt that they were all armed to the teeth and ready to battle. 

  


For a fleeting moment she recognized what an utterly ridiculous notion it was, attacking the Gerudo Fortress. Just as quickly she put the thought behind her. She _would_ rescue her friends, no matter what the cost.

  


"You have a plan?" she demanded of Ronin.

  


He shrugged. "Somewhat. I can knock down that gate for you, and distract the Gerudo long enough for you to get inside. From there on in, you're on your own."

  


"How exactly are you planning to knock down that enormous, heavy gate and distract the Gerudo all on your own?" Link demanded.

  


Ronin met his eyes, challenging, as his hand went to the feather in his hair. "Watch and learn, friend."

  


He took hold of the feather's shaft–the spines remained soft and golden this time–and drew it from his hair, holding it in the air before him. He moved the feather left and right, up and down, humming in time to the feather's movements a strange, short chord of notes that made the hair on the back of Link's neck rise.

  


The wind around them picked up, ruffling through hair and clothes. Ronin closed his eyes and began the chord over again, feather waving through the air, wind swirling around them–until Link realized, with a shock that made him stagger, it was not Ronin singing– 

  


It was the _wind._

_* * *_

  


To be continued.


	18. The Rescue

A note from the Hime no Argh herself— 

Yikes. o.o; I think the interval between Chapter 16 and Chapter 17 was so long that half the readers forgot about this fic. Ah well, to be expected, I suppose. ^^; Hey, I got a new word processor that might actually preserve some of the tags (like center, hopefully). Well, I should be updating at my old pace again, so keep checking back. Thanks for reading!

 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1_***_

Chapter 18__

The Rescue

"Farore's mercy," Zelda whispered, shrinking against Link as Ronin conducted the wind with his feather, the song rising in volume and pitch as the wind grew in strength, buffering them so hard that it threatened to knock them off their feet.

The wind's pitch rose into a shriek, sand swirling through the air, cloud rapidly dimming the sky–then Ronin raised his arms and the windstorm became a whirling cyclone of sand, reaching to the heavens and barely skimming the ground. Sand was everywhere, harsh and dry in their throats, scoring bare arms and faces. The tornado shrieked in rage, bound in place for the moment, starving, ready to devour everything in its path.

Ronin smiled and pointed to the valley. The tornado leapt into the midst of the fortress, tearing the gate from its moorings and flinging it some distance away to land with a resounding crash in the sand. 

"Good luck, friends," Ronin called over the howling of the wind, laughing. Something–it might have been a bird, Zelda thought, only its wings were batlike–dove from the sky and snatched him up into his talons. Instantly both entities were gone.

"Blue...?" Zelda said dazedly, gazing after the pair. 

Link gripped her arm. "We have to go, Zelda. Now."

He was right. Zelda shook off her daze and looked at the valley below them. The tornado was tearing through the fortress, the Gerudo scattering in panic, and no one was guarding the gate. If they were going to have even a chance at success, now was the time to start. 

Ignoring every instinct screaming at her to run from that tornado and never look back, Zelda slipped and slid down the long slope to the valley, Link a heartbeat behind her. They darted across the open sand to the wall–Zelda prayed fervently that no sentries saw them, but they made it safely to the cover of the wall near the wreck of the gate and pressed into the shadows. Zelda changed the string of her longbow, holding one end firmly beneath her instep and bending it with all of her weight. "What do you see?" she demanded breathlessly of Link, who peered carefully around the corner of the gate. 

"We have a clear run from the gate to an entryway," Link whispered. "I have no idea what's inside."

"Too bad we don't have a map to point us to the dungeons," Zelda said grimly, drawing an arrow and setting it to nock. She reached to her belt where she kept her dagger and handed it to Link. "You need this more than I do."

Link gave it back to her, showing her his own dagger. "Hide it on you. Just in case."

Zelda stored it in a hidden sheath at the small of her back and nodded, adjusting her grip on the longbow and arrow. "Give the word."

Link was silent, watching the fortress, waiting for their chance. "Now," he whispered.

The two darted out across the open sand, neither of them daring to look and see whether the tornado was headed their way. Out of the corner of her eye Zelda saw a Gerudo warrior point to them–before she could cry the alarm, Zelda buried an arrow in her throat. They darted into the fortress and ran without hesitating for even a second through the stone corridors–Gerudo leapt to the attack, but Zelda fired arrow after arrow, riddling their attackers.

Perhaps the goddesses guided them, for both Link and Zelda seemed instinctively to know where they were going. They descended into the bowels of the fortress far below, where narrow, deserted corridors were lit precariously by flickering torches. At last they came upon a pair of guards playing dice on the floor before a heavy, bolted metal door.

The Gerudo leapt to their feet as Link and Zelda approached, brandishing their weapons. "You there!" one of the women snapped. "You have no authority to be here! Get out now, or–" The walls around them shook as a crash like thunder echoed above them–Zelda guessed that something had collapsed by Ronin's tornado. The women jumped. "What the hell?!"

Link leapt at one with a furious yell, driving his dagger into her heart. Zelda shot the other through the chest. Both crumpled to the flagstones.

Link knelt over one of the corpses and extracted a ring of keys from her belt. He straightened and pushed the key into the lock on the heavy door. The door swung open and he and Zelda entered.

"Miss Zelda!" It was Dagger, hands wrapped around the bars of the cell in which the Best Damn Thieves Around were packed, all of them pale and sweating and plainly afraid.

Instantly they were accosted by the thieves.

"Miss Zelda! Link!"

"Are you okay?"

"How did you get in?"

"We're so sorry! The Gerudo–"

"Lost track of you in the field–"

"We were afraid you died!"

"Slow down!" Zelda held up her hands and the thieves reluctantly fell silent. "I'm okay, don't worry about me. We're here to get you out. Link?"

"Hang on," Link muttered, flipping through the ring of keys. "Maybe this one–" He stuck a key into the lock of the cell door and turned it. The bars slid back, and the thieves were free.

Rune, Dagger, and Bolo slammed into Zelda; Dagger buried her face into Zelda's shoulder and burst into tears. Zelda hugged them and traded handclasps with those she could reach, relieved beyond all measure that they were all safe and well. Impa waited at the back of the crowd, meeting Zelda's eyes when she looked at her. 

_Thank you, _Zelda tried to convey through the glance, and Impa nodded as if she understood.

Link's touch on her shoulder reminded Zelda that they were not out of danger yet. "We have to get out of here," she told the others firmly, gently drawing away from Dagger, Rune, and Bolo. "This way–" She turned toward the doorway to the corridor and gasped.

"Oh no," Impa murmured.

Azura and Arjuna blocked the doorway and escape. Packed behind them in the corridor were at least twenty Gerudo, more than enough to deal with their group of ten, eight of whom were unarmed. Link and Zelda stood side by side, pushing the thieves behind them, as they faced their opponents.

"Call off your wind trick," Azura ordered sharply.

When Zelda hesitated, a purple-clad Gerudo leapt forward lightning-fast, snatching Bolo in her grip and pressing the blade of a long scimitar to his neck. "Bolo!" Cleo cried. 

"Let him go," Zelda said to Azura and Arjuna, pale and sweating for fear of Bolo's life.

"Get rid of the tornado," Azura snapped back, "or he dies."

"I don't know how," Zelda said quietly.

Azura nodded to the Gerudo who held Bolo hostage. "Kill him."

"Wait!" Impa snapped. She closed her eyes for a moment; her lips moved as if she spoke, but no words came out. Her scarlet eyes opened again and focused on the Gerudo without a trace of worry or fear. "It's gone. Listen."

They were all silent, listening for the wind's howling. All was quiet, and no alarms were ringing.

"There," said Impa after a few moment's silence. "Now let Bolo go."

Azura smiled. "I don't think so." She looked at Link and Zelda. "It's really up to them."

"What is?" Link asked quietly, his blue eyes as hard as diamonds.

"Their fate." Arjuna indicated the thieves with a sweep of her hand. "Come with us quietly, or they die. Your choice."

"Come where?" Zelda demanded.

Azura smiled grimly. "To see him."

"Don't do it," Impa said instantly. "Do not agree to these terms, no matter the cost. Ganondorf will murder you. You cannot be allowed to die."

"Don't do it, Miss Zelda," Bolo echoed softly. "I don't care if I die, as long as you're safe."

The same look of resolve and dedication was identical to the faces of all of the thieves. So it was on the faces of the Gerudo, as well–they fully intended to carry out their threat. Zelda exchanged a look with Link–a sad, desperate, frightened look–as they realized what they had to do.

"Let them go," Zelda told Azura and Arjuna quietly. "We'll come."

*           *            *

To be continued.


	19. Ganondorf

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Meh, I held off this chapter out of sheer nervousness, but as one of my readers so aptly put it, might as well get it over with. I'm not in the most optimistic of moods right now...I'm tired as all heck, I have to work later, and I need to spend a few hours levelling up in Kingdom Hearts so I can finally beat Evil Riku. *sigh* I'll stop complaining now. Hope you like the chapter, and thanks for reading as always.

  


***

Chapter 19

Ganondorf

  


From the Gerudo fortress, Link and Zelda were dragged further south to the citadel at the edge of the desert. Neither of them had ever seen it before; they'd only heard rumors that it was Ganondorf's dungeon, to where his prisoners were sent, and no one who went there ever came back. 

  


They knew, with terrible certainty, that they were probably going to be tortured and almost certainly murdered. At least they wouldn't have to wait long for the end. Upon their arrival Link and Zelda were taken immediately to an interrogation room–a dark, cramped room with stone walls, ceiling, and floor, no windows, and no furnishing. There they were left to await the arrival of the Black King.

  


Zelda sat on the cold stone floor to wait. Her only source of comfort was Link, who knelt beside her, gripping her hand so tightly it hurt. There was silence between them for a while, deafening and terrible, but at last Link broke it.

  


"Are you afraid?"

  


Zelda thought of all the answers she could give, then replied quietly, "Terrified."

  


His grip on her hand tightened. "I won't let him hurt you."

  


She had nothing to say that wasn't pointless. As much as she wanted to believe him, she couldn't. Neither, she knew, could he.

  


Azura and Arjuna stood guard over them, but they said nothing. The prisoners were going to die. Let them exchange a few last words, if that was what they wanted.

  


"Think it'll hurt much?" Link asked with grim–very grim–humor.

  


"Oh, a lot!" she cried exaggeratedly, then was quiet for a moment. "Remember that, please, if I should renounce anything, or betray anyone."

  


"You would never," he said emphatically.

  


"I might." Zelda smiled grimly. "I don't know. I've never been tortured."

  


"I heard you go numb after about ten hours."

  


"That's a comfort."

  


Behind them, Arjuna shifted uncomfortably. Azura stilled her with a glare.

  


Zelda gazed into the darkness for a while, fighting the fear with every ounce of her energy–at least it gave her something to do. She didn't bother praying. She didn't think it would help. There was nothing they could do that was going to get them out of this situation, and she would not beg or plead. That satisfaction, at least, she would not give to her murderer.

  


But there was one thing she thought she should say before she went. "Link."

  


"Yes?"

  


She looked at him for a moment, her heart breaking. She cared more for this man than she ever had anyone else, yet their time together had been so short. _I should have told him sooner, _she thought sorrowfully.__

  


"I love you."

  


Link's smile was full of pain. He pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead. "I know," he murmured. "I love you too."

  


After that there was nothing more to say. They sat in silence, fingers intertwined, and waited for the end.

They heard the end coming before they saw it. A slow, deliberate thudding that grew louder every moment was the sound of heavy boots against the floor, footsteps drawing closer and closer. Terror surged in her throat like bile; Zelda fought the urge to vomit, feeling the blood drain from her face. She shook from head to toe; Link's grip was so tight that her hand was numb. Neither of them spoke, nor moved, nor even dared to breathe, as the door swung open and their nightmare walked into the room.

  


Ganondorf gazed upon them with the coldest eyes Zelda had ever seen. They were yellow with a predatory gleam, cruel and devoid of any shred of mercy. He was as tall as a giant, broad-shouldered and strong, his dark skin, red hair, and prominent nose indications of a Gerudo heritage. Leggings were stuffed into heavy black boots, tunic covered with a mail shirt, shoulders draped with a majestic black cape. He spoke in a low, deep voice that lacked all humanity.

  


"So."

  


They waited, all of them. Even Arjuna and Azura were shock-still.

  


"When I received the message, I could not quite believe it was true." His lips curved into a smile that made Zelda's blood freeze in her veins. "But here you are, the both of you. Defenseless. Helpless."

  


His eyes left them momentarily and Zelda gulped in several breaths of air, suddenly aware that she'd not breathed once since he entered the room. "I admit I am impressed," he said to Arjuna and Azura. "Just as I began to think your efforts were worthless, you deliver them into my hands. Good work." His tone had not changed a bit–it was just as cold and cruel as when he spoke to Link and Zelda.

  


"Thank you, master," Azura replied for the sisters, her voice shaking. It was plain that they were terrified of him.

  


"You may leave," Ganondorf said curtly, and the sisters wasted no time. They scurried from the room, only Arjuna glancing back at the prisoners once, with real sympathy. The door shut and bolted behind them, and Link and Zelda were alone with the Black King.

  


He looked at them again, focusing on Link this time. Abruptly his eyes widened, then darkened in fury.

  


"Where is it?" he demanded. "Where is the sword?"

  


"I don't have it." Zelda marveled at the composure in Link's tone. 

  


_"Where is it?"_ Ganondorf's jaw clenched and his voice shook with rage.

  


"I. Don't. Have it," Link repeated as though Ganondorf were very dense, deliberately drawing out the words. His courage astonished Zelda. Even she would never dare bait the most evil man in Hyrule.

  


Ganondorf took a step toward them. He made a sudden, sharp gesture with his hand and Link was thrown back hard against the far wall; a very solid barrier of dark energy materialized before him.

"Link!" Zelda afforded herself only that one cry. If she moved, Ganondorf would kill her; she couldn't die just yet.

  


Ganondorf's attention was still focused on Link. "You'll tell me where the sword is, boy." His voice was very, very quiet. "You'll tell me everything I want to know. You'll tell me things that don't interest me in the slightest–anything to stop the pain. I promise you that."

  


While he talked, Zelda reached very slowly, with the subtlety only a thief possessed, around to the sheath at the small of her back where she'd hidden her dagger. She was not stupid enough to believe that she could take him down and live. But if they both died, that would be enough.

  


"I'll give you one chance. Tell me where the sword is, and I'll kill you painlessly."

  


Link spat blood from his mouth onto the flagstones. "Go to hell."

  


Ganondorf lips stretched in a terrifying grin. "Oh, good. I was hoping you'd choose a painful death."

  


Zelda leapt at him, driving the dagger directly toward his heart–but Ganondorf moved faster than she ever could have anticipated, twisting aside and seizing her wrist in one enormous hand. His hand tightened on her wrist until she gasped in pain; her hold on the dagger loosened. He then snatched the dagger in his free hand and plunged it into her chest.

  


She stifled a cry of pain as he let go and collapsed to the floor, wrenching the dagger from her body. He'd missed her heart–deliberately, she knew. Ganondorf placed the sole of his boot on the hand curled around the dagger and pressed down with his considerable weight. Pain shot like lightning up her arm–several loud cracks and a bolt of excruciating, white-hot pain told her that her fingers had snapped.

  


"You bastard," Link snarled. Ganondorf grinned at him, perfectly aware–as Link was–that he could do anything he wanted to Zelda, and no one could stop him.

  


"I believe I've changed my mind," Ganondorf said thoughtfully. His hand closed around the thick hilt of a sword on his back and he drew it, slowly and deliberately, giving them both ample time to scrutinize the enormous, double-edged black sword. His eyes found Link once more. "Tell me where the Master Sword is–" he rested the gigantic blade very close to Zelda's neck, "–or she dies."

  


"Don't do it," Zelda mumbled to Link. "He's going to kill us any–" Ganondorf struck her hard across the face with the back of his hand, cutting her off. She tasted blood in her mouth.

  


Link cursed vehemently. Ganondorf merely smiled.

  


"Well?" he inquired.

  


"Let her go," Link said savagely, "and I'll tell you what you want to know."

  


Ganondorf reached down with his free hand, sliding his fingers under Zelda's chin and raising it gently until she met his eyes. "I think I'd rather cut her throat," he murmured, his thumb delicately stroking along her jawline. 

  


Zelda gripped her dagger in her uninjured hand and stabbed it into his leg above the knee. Ganondorf's lips curled as he gripped the dagger and yanked it from his flesh, tossing it into a corner. "I hope you enjoyed your last defiance," he spat at her, raising his great black sword.

  


_"Don't!" _Link cried.

Ganondorf appeared to hesitate–then suddenly Zelda realized that leafy green vines were crawling up his legs, binding him in place. The Black King snarled and began hacking at the tangle as longer, thicker vines appeared to grow from the stone floor, entangling his legs and wrapping around his waist. A dark shadow appeared on the floor just below him, and black, inky tendrils rose, twisting around him as did the vines, crawling up his torso and around his shoulders, imprisoning his arms. He fought the bindings wildly, but the more leafy vines and inky shadows entangled him, the more he struggled to move.

  


"Sages!" Ganondorf snarled as the tendrils began to twist around his neck. 

  


Grass and flowers sprouted on the floor on Ganondorf's left as another, larger pool of shadow appeared on his right. A tangle of vines sprouted rapidly from the grass, then drew away to reveal Saria; Impa rose from the shadow as if ascending from Hell itself. Both spared a quick glance at Zelda and Link, then focused their attention on Ganondorf, wrapping him in yet more vines and tendrils of shadow.

  


"Link," Impa said without ever glancing away from Ganondorf, "you can escape your prison. Focus the power of light within you and use it to repel the darkness."

  


"Wh–what are you doing...?" Zelda sputtered in amazement.

  


Saria spared her a warm smile. "Helping." Tiny flowers sprouted along the vines wrapped around Ganondorf, which seemed to anger him further.

  


"You think you've won?" he hissed. A glow at his hands drew Zelda's attention; she saw, with a start, the mark of the sacred Triforce gleaming on the backs of his hands. "You've won _nothing!" _He made a savage gesture with one of his hands and the vines and shadows were torn to pieces; Saria and Impa cried out in pain.

  


Ganondorf's eyes focused on Zelda. "You're finished!" the Black King bellowed, thrusting his sword at her heart.

  


Link stumbled into her, knocking her out of the path of Ganondorf's sword. The dark blade transfixed Link's body, entering his back and out his midsection.

  


For a moment it seemed that all had frozen–even time itself.

  


"Heh!" Ganondorf wrenched the sword free and Link fell forward onto the cold stone floor. Zelda was as still as death, her hands covering her mouth, staring at the dark patch that spread through his clothes.

  


She thought she heard him whisper: "Run."

  


"You–!" Impa snarled. She and Saria thrust their power at Ganondorf, wrapping him once again in shadow and vines that were covered in thorns. Ganondorf struggled, his Triforce once again springing to life, but the sages were not about to let him go this time without a fight. They held him fast, battering him with their magic and defending against the goddess power that he sent at them.

  


Zelda saw and heard none of it. She gathered Link in her arms, trying to staunch the flow of blood from the terrible wound with her bare hands. Within moments her hands and arms were drenched. He was still alive, for the moment, but she could feel him slipping away from her. She clung to him with all her strength, as if she could cling to his very life.

  


"Zelda!" Impa's voice finally broke through her frozen daze. _"Zelda, listen to me!"_

  


She raised her eyes and looked at Impa as if coming out of a heavy fog. Sweat drenched the sage's forehead as she and Saria battled with Ganondorf.

  


"You must use your power to open the door to the Sacred Realm!" Impa ordered her urgently. "You can do it! You must _force _the awakening of the Triforce within you, or Link will die!"

  


"But..." Zelda trembled from head to toe. She could not think of what to do.

  


_"Are you really that weak?" _Impa bellowed. _"Are you just going to give in without a fight?! Your mother would be ashamed of you!"_

  


Zelda squeezed her eyes shut. Impa was right. She had to do something, now, or all was lost.

  


With this thought in mind, Zelda forced everything else away from her. She pushed away every other thought in her head, focusing all of her attention solely on her goal. The sounds of battle melted away; her awareness of the man she loved dying in her arms was forgotten. She looked deep inside of herself, to the pool of light that seemed to well from her very soul, and bathed in that light.

  


Now she saw the world through different eyes. Ganondorf was not a physical entity, but a well of darkness that drew in everything around itself, threatening to consume the entire world. Saria and Impa were glowing presences in her eyes, one a bright green shimmering with warmth and life, the other a shadowy blackness tainted by death. She saw Link as a golden light shining more brilliantly than a thousand suns, though that light grew dimmer every moment as he drew nearer to death. She herself was pure whiteness, throwing everything around her into harsh, blinding relief. A song rose inside her–a pure voice singing in celestial harmony. She surrendered herself to that voice, and the entity behind it.

  


She would not remember the rest, but those around her would never forget it as long as they lived. Her body began to glow with a pure white light that seemed to shine from her heart; it spread through her veins and filtered through her flesh until she shone like a star in the night sky. Her eyes–pure white, all traces of the iris and pupil gone–looked upon Ganondorf as Impa and Saria's power drew away as if by its own accord. The magic of the sages was now under her control.

  


The light shining from her body grew brighter and brighter until all were forced to look away. Ganondorf couldn't; he was frozen in place more absolutely than Saria and Impa's power had done, his eyes locked on Zelda's. As the white light pierced him in the form of blinding lances, he thought back to the days when the same entity had gazed at him through another's eyes. He remembered Zelda's mother as he screamed in pain.

  


Zelda knew none of this. She remembered only the celestial voice receding inside of her, then falling through a star-filled sky with Link in her arms.

* * *

  


"Zelda?"

  


She was warm, wonderfully warm, and wrapped in softness. More than anything in the world she wanted to return to sleep, and pleasant dreams.

  


"Zelda, wake up."

  


The voice cut through her slumber, jerking her toward wakefulness. "Go away," Zelda mumbled.

"I knew you were alive. Open your eyes, will you?"

  


The voice wasn't going to leave her alone. Zelda scowled and forced one eye open. 

  


Link grinned down at her. "There's a happy expression. Not a morning person, are you?"

  


"What?" Zelda opened both eyes, confused, and spared a quick glance around. She and Link appeared to be in some sort of hall, lying in a pile of white sheets on the marble floor. She realized, with a sudden start, that she was naked.

  


_"H-hey!"_

  


"Don't get the wrong idea," Link said quickly. He was apparently naked as well, though the sheets covered him tactfully. "We were both like this when I woke up."

  


"Oh." Zelda sat up, clutching a sheet to her chest. "Where are we?"

  


Link shrugged. "No idea."

  


Memory hit her like a hammer–the citadel, Ganondorf, the sages, Link...and the voice inside of her, the perfect voice she'd heard just before she blacked out...

  


"Link," she gasped, "your wound–"

  


She stopped, staring at Link's torso. The horrible injury was gone, the blood with it. There was a large scar where it had been, but it shone with healthy, pink new skin. Someone had healed it, and quite effectively too.

  


"How is that possible?" Zelda whispered, unable to believe it. "Who could have healed such a terrible wound?"

  


"I don't know," Link said quietly. "But I have a feeling it's whoever brought us here. And whoever healed your injuries, as well."

  


With a start, Zelda realized he was right. There was no pain in her hand nor at her chest; Zelda wiggled the fingers Ganondorf had broken to find them perfectly healed. There was a new, healthy scar below her collarbone, where she'd been stabbed.

  


Now Zelda took a better look around. The hall in which they lay appeared to be some sort of cathedral, the pristine ceiling reaching into a dome far above their heads. Gilded windows through which watery sunlight trickled were between marble columns evenly spaced along the circular walls. Dead center in the room was a small pedestal engraved with a Triforce mark. She could not shake the feeling that she recognized this place, although she was sure she'd never been here before. Divinity permeated the air; Zelda was almost certain they were in the Sacred Realm.

  


"What happened?" Zelda asked, tearing her eyes from their surroundings to look at Link. "In Ganondorf's citadel, I mean?"

  


He stared at her incredulously. "You mean you don't remember? You just–you started glowing, as though a fire were burning inside you. It was a pure white light, and it grew so bright that no one could look at you.... You looked at Ganondorf, and he screamed as if in pain, and then the floor suddenly disappeared beneath us and we were falling. That was when I blacked out," he added.

  


"I don't remember," Zelda said softly. "All I know is, there was this voice inside of me, singing...it was so beautiful." She looked up at him. "Is that what Impa meant by 'awaken the Triforce?' What was that?"

  


"You got me," Link confessed. "But–" He took one of her hands in his, showing her the back of it. A golden Triforce mark was etched into her flesh.

  


"Goddesses," Zelda said, amazed.

  


"I'm no expert, but I think it's safe to say you awakened the Triforce after all," Link informed her, letting go of her hand. 

  


Her eyes suddenly burned with unshed tears. Zelda covered her face with her hands, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat.

  


"Zelda?" Link said in alarm. "Zelda, what's wrong?"

  


"Nothing," she cried, her voice muffled by her hands. "You just–you don't know what it was like to feel you dying in my arms. I was so sure I was going to lose you."

"Hey..." Link gripped her wrists gently, drawing her hands away from her face. "Don't cry. You didn't lose me. I'm not going anywhere."

  


"I know, I just..." Unable to speak any longer, unable to even think, she put her arms around him and hid her face in his shoulder, willing the unshed tears not to spill from her eyes. She felt Link draw in a sudden, sharp breath.

  


"Zelda...what are you doing?"

  


"I don't know," Zelda admitted, muffled against his shoulder. "I don't know, and I don't care. I just want to be with you, Link."

  


Link gripped her bare shoulders as if uncertain of whether to pull her closer or push her away. "Zelda, I–" He hesitated. "I know you're scared, but–"

  


_"I'm not scared," _Zelda said fiercely. "Link, these are _my_ feelings! I don't care about Ganondorf, the goddesses, anything! Just you. _I love you. _So if you don't feel the same–"

  


"Don't be ridiculous," Link muttered, wrapping his arms around her. His lips found hers and he kissed her deeply, clinging to her hard. No more words were exchanged between them. In that empty hall in the cathedral in the Sacred Realm, Link gave all of himself to her, and Zelda to him.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	20. Return to Hyrule

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

You liked it! You really liked it! (The last chapter, that is.) ^^ Phew, what a load off my back. I hate big, pivotal chapters like 19. They are simply merciless to my poor nerves. ::dramatic pose:: But I'm so glad you all seemed to like it, thank you!

  


I got a question from a reader asking me if this chapter is the last one. (3 Rai.) Gosh no! :D Plenty more to muddle through before this story is finished. I'm estimated thirty-something chapters. It'll probably be the longest story I've written to date.

  


This chapter will be the last one for a while. I'm going home on Friday for Thanksgiving break and will be home until the Sunday after Thanksgiving. My computer access during that time will likely be limited and I won't be able to update. Expect the next chapter sometime during the week after Thanksgiving. Anyway, thanks as always for reading, and enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 20

Return to Hyrule

  


Zelda wasn't sure why she woke suddenly, but was only aware of the irrepressible feeling that something was waiting for her. A pile of clothes conveniently waited beside her on the floor. She pulled them on, securing her hair away from her face with a leather thong. Even then she hesitated, looking at Link, sleeping peacefully beside her.

  


Ganondorf was but a dim dream to her now. The terror and pain of a few short hours ago was forgotten. All she could think of was Link, and being in his arms. 

  


Impulsively she leaned down and kissed his forehead, then got to her feet and left the circular hall in the middle of the cathedral. Outside was a main hall, the walls and floor marble, empty but for a single altar–and Impa.

  


Zelda halted and stared at the Sheikah. Impa gazed levelly back.

  


"Where are we?" Zelda asked, speaking the first thought that came to mind.

  


"The Temple of Time. This place exists now only in the Sacred Realm, but it was one a great temple in Hyrule."

  


"How...are you?" Zelda asked uncertainly, approaching her slowly.

"I'm fine," Impa said quietly, her eyes locked with Zelda's. "How are _you?"_

  


Zelda couldn't help herself; she went to the Sheikah like a child into her mother's arms. Impa wrapped her in a bone-crushing embrace. 

  


"I want to apologize," Impa murmured. "For all that I've done, for–"

  


"No," Zelda said fiercely. "Don't apologize. There's no need. I understand, and I–I'm grateful to you. For everything."

  


Impa kissed her forehead gently. "It's been an honor and a joy to raise you." She held her hand against Zelda's cheek briefly, then went on, in her usual brisk tone, "You'd better wake Link and come with me. We've a great deal to discuss."

  


"Where are we going?"

  


"Back to Hyrule. We must speak with Saria and decide our next course of action."

  


Zelda began, "The thieves–"

  


"Fine," Impa said quietly. "The Gerudo kept their word. They're waiting for you in the Lost Woods."

  


Zelda sighed in relief. "Thank the goddesses. And...Ronin?"

  


Impa shook her head. "Not a sign."

  


"All right." Zelda hesitated briefly. "Impa...what happens now?"

  


"Whatever you choose," Impa told her firmly, holding her gaze. "The world is _yours, _Zelda. Your fate is yours. The path may be shown to you, but only you can choose to walk it."

* * *

  


Link woke alone in the cathedral, unperturbed. For once he wasn't apprehensive about Zelda's whereabouts, sensing that she was near. He glanced to his right and saw his clothes folded in a neat pile, his boots resting beside them. Someone had been by.

  


He pulled his clothes on and was just strapping his leather gauntlets around his hands when the object of his thoughts appeared. "Good, you're awake already," Zelda said, smiling. Link watched her carefully, attempting to gauge her feelings. She looked pleased to see him, if anything, and he decided this was a good thing.

  


"Have you found out where we are?" he inquired delicately, finishing the lacings on his gauntlets.

  


"The Temple of Time," Zelda said thoughtfully. "Impa told me it was once a great temple in Hyrule, but now only its mirror image exists in the Sacred Realm."

  


"Impa?"

  


Zelda smiled slowly at the question in his voice. "Yes, she's here. As nonchalant as ever."

  


Link took her hand, kissing the goddess mark on the back. "Last night..." He hesitated, unsure of what to say. "It wasn't just an impulse, you know that, don't you?"

  


"Of course I do."

  


"I meant it when I said I love you," he persisted.

  


Zelda smiled. "So did I. C'mon," she added apologetically. "Everyone's waiting for us."

  


Link allowed her to lead him into the main hall of the temple, where Impa awaited them.

  


"All set?" the sage asked, beckoning to them. Link noticed that she didn't look at him once. "Come. I will take you back to Hyrule. I doubt you would have energy left to do so," she added to Zelda, with a hint of reproach in her voice.

  


Zelda protested, "It was _you_ who told me to awaken the Triforce–"

  


"I didn't mean for you to nearly kill yourself in the process." Impa sighed. "Only the goddesses themselves were able to sustain life in you and Link long enough for your injuries to heal and your life-energy replenished."

  


Something about that statement nagged at Link. "What do you mean, 'long enough'?" he demanded, frowning.

  


Impa gazed neutrally at a point somewhere behind him. "You've been sleeping for nearly a month."

  


"A _month?!" _Zelda exclaimed loudly. "Impossible!"

  


"Not at all," Impa said calmly. "Naturally some interesting events have passed in this time. We'll discuss that in Hyrule." The Sheikah closed her eyes briefly, her brow furrowing in concentration. A ring of light, tinted a pale lavender, appeared on the floor between the three of them.

  


By now Zelda and Link were quite practiced at the means of traveling between the realms. In unison they stepped into the portal with Impa and were taken from the perfect realm of divinity to the tainted, impure land of mortals.

  


When Link opened his eyes, he stood in the foyer of the Forest Temple with Zelda and Impa. There was a sudden exclamation, and Zelda was abruptly attacked by all seven of her thief-followers. 

_"Miss Zelda!"_

  


Zelda held all those she could reach, an expression of pure serenity and contentment on her face. Link watched her with a disconcerting sense of jealousy at the bond she so clearly shared with her thieving troupe. He couldn't remember ever seeing her more at peace.

  


Out of the corner of his eye he saw Impa slip through the door from the foyer into the courtyard. Sensing that Zelda was not going to need him for some time, Link followed.

  


The Sheikah half-lay in the grass, her long legs stretched out before her, leaning back on her elbows as she gazed at the clear, blue sky. Link shielded his face to fix the position of the sun, at about three hours after noon. The dry warmth in the air suggested that the summer season was well on its course. He realized he was out of touch with time and the seasons, and supposed he and Zelda really must have slept a month, after all.

  


He hesitated briefly, then sat in the grass beside Impa. She did not speak or even acknowledge his presence.

  


"I'd like to speak with you," he said firmly, determined not to let her ignore him forever.

  


Impa sighed as if she'd known this confrontation was coming. "Speak, then."

"First and foremost," Link said quietly, "I owe you my thanks."

  


Impa abruptly sat up and stared at him. He could tell thanks were not what she'd been expecting. "Why?"

  


"You protected Zelda," he told her, startled that the reason was not obvious. "You told me how to free myself from Ganondorf's prison so I could save her. You told her to awaken the Triforce and save us both. Do you really hate me that much?" he asked, giving voice to the question that had plagued him for ages.

  


Impa sighed again. "I don't hate you, boy. I like you quite a bit. Cursed inconvenient to like the man who is taking everything precious from you."

  


"You mean Zelda."

  


"Of course. Zelda loves you, damn you both. I knew it would happen. I didn't want it to."

  


"Because of Zelda's mother?"

  


Impa gazed bleakly into the distance, watching something he couldn't see. "I raised Zelda's mother from birth. I watched her grow in innocence and happiness. I tried to protect her from everything that might have hurt her. Then she met _him..." _Impa's lips twisted. "I watched her world fall apart. I watched her rebuild that world from ruins, calling upon strength I never knew she had. I was so proud of her. But she fell in love–fell in love with that same man who had started it all!" Link was startled to see tears in the Sheikah's eyes; furiously she rubbed them away. "I watched them. It was a long, long time before either of them acted on their feelings. But they did, of course, and their love was solidified...I watched her die for that love." Impa's voice was bleak once more. "She gave me her daughter to raise and went willingly to her death. I hated him for it. And when you appeared, as I knew you would, I wanted to hate you too. I just couldn't. I don't."

  


She rubbed her eyes again, wearily. "But I do hate destiny."

  


Link thought about his and Zelda's destinies, their duty by the goddesses and Hyrule, the obscure fate that somehow pitted them against the impossible odds of ever defeating Ganondorf. "So do I."

  


"We are all led to believe that we may somehow choose our own paths, aren't we?" Impa said wryly. "But perhaps in the end it all comes down to fate. Perhaps it is my fate to watch my beloved Zelda die."

  


"Never," Link said vehemently.

  


Impa looked at him as if startled by the fierceness of his reaction. "No," she said slowly, "she won't die. Not with you alive. Even if there was but a single breath left in your body, you would use it in her protection, wouldn't you?" 

  


"Yes."

  


"Which means we must ensure _your _survival," the Sheikah went on in her usual brisk, business-like tone. "Tell me, boy, have you figured out yet why I insisted on sword combat with you alone all those times?"

  


Link stared at her, startled. No, he hadn't even thought of it...but now that he did, the reason dawned on him. "You meant me to fight Ganondorf."

  


"Yes. And you're still meant to fight him. You will fight him." Impa grinned, baring her teeth in a predatory manner. "And by shadows and goddesses I swear it, you will win."

* * *

  


Once she had caught up on the news the thieves had to impart, listening to their worries and assured them that she was perfectly healthy and well, Zelda thought to inquire as to Saria's whereabouts.

  


"We last saw her heading outside the temple," Marek informed her. "She said she was going to wait for someone." He shrugged at the cryptic remark.

  


"Thanks. I'll go see her." Zelda disentangled herself from her thieves, most of whom seemed to think that she would disappear if they let her out of their sight. After promising that she would return momentarily, Zelda made her way out of the temple and into the Lost Woods.

  


Among the hazy trees steaming in the afternoon sun, she found Saria. The sage was not alone.

  


"You." Zelda uttered the single word, staring in astonishment at Saria's companion.

  


Azura turned toward her, emerald eyes locking on hers momentarily–then she dropped to her knees, bowing until her forehead touched the forest floor.

  


"Please allow me inside the temple," the Gerudo said humbly, "and let me plead my case."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	21. Rogue Sister

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING! How was everyone's holiday? Mine was pretty fun. Had a week off, went home, lounged around, ate turkey. Also got a mild head cold, but nothing too terrible, it was just a twenty-four-hour thing. Now I'm back in school, and the workload's about to crush me...finals and final projects. ::sobs::

  


Well, as promised, here's the new chapter. Enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 21

Rogue Sister

  


When Saria welcomed the Gerudo into her temple, Zelda thought she'd taken leave of her senses. "Are you mad?" she whispered fiercely out of Azura's hearing. "She and her sister Arjuna have tried to kill Link and I countless times. They delivered us to Ganondorf!"

  


"It wouldn't hurt to hear what she has to say, would it?" Saria said calmly.

  


"It could! What if she's got an entire army hidden somewhere in the forest?! She could intend to slaughter all of us! It's been her intention since the moment Link and I met her!"

  


The sage closed a hand over Zelda's wrist, gazing up in her face. "Zelda, do you really think that we are unprotected?"

  


"I–" Zelda blinked. "What do you mean?"

  


"The goddesses placed a ward on this temple a long time ago. No evil can touch this place. If anyone sought this temple with evil intentions in mind, even the Black King himself, they could walk right into our midst and see nothing but trees."

  


Zelda stared down at her. "Then...that means..."

  


"That Azura has no evil intentions in mind," Saria confirmed, smiling.

  


Zelda thought about that for a moment. "I still don't trust her," she said at last, her mouth setting into a obstinate line.

  


"Trust me, then," Saria suggested, leading the way back inside the temple.

  


Inside the temple, Azura defiantly faced the stunned thieves. "Miss Zelda, why is she here?" Marek demanded, sounding angry. Zelda couldn't blame him. 

  


"I'd rather like to know that myself," she replied, glaring at Azura. 

  


Azura met her eyes coolly. "I need to speak with you."

  


"Speak, then."

  


"In private," Azura added pointedly. 

  


Zelda was about to snap back that she could speak here or not at all when Saria called, "This way." She directed the Gerudo to the door leading to the courtyard of the temple. Zelda ordered the thieves to stay where they were and followed, fuming. What was going on? Why would Saria invite Azura inside her temple, evil intentions or not?

  


In the courtyard, Link was on his feet before he remembered that he didn't have a weapon; Impa held him firm in a vice-like grip. "What the hell is this?!" he demanded furiously, trying to throw off Impa as he glared first at Azura, then Saria.

  


Saria returned his gaze calmly. "Azura has requested an audience with Zelda."

  


"He can hear it too," the Gerudo added derisively, nodding toward Link. 

  


"Are you calm now?" Impa asked Link. "You need to learn to slow down and think. Stop letting emotions get in the way of rational logic." She let him go, then clapped him on the shoulder and headed back inside the temple with Saria. Zelda stared after her, wondering when she and Link had gotten so familiar.

  


Link caught Zelda's gaze; she saw plainly the question in his eyes: _what's going on? _She gave him the barest shrug and stared hard at Azura.

  


"Well?"

  


Azura drew herself up proudly, her chin haughtily lifted. "I do not come offering war."

  


"That's a first," Link snapped. "What do you want?"

  


Zelda found herself rather admiring the Gerudo's resolve as she coolly, defiantly, faced her enemies. "It doesn't matter what I want. What matters is what _he _wants." Her face darkened; a hard glint appeared in her emerald eyes. "Isn't that what has always mattered? He always achieves his ends." Her voice was rising in pitch and volume with each successive word. "Even when my sister pleaded for mercy. Even when she fell to her knees before him and begged him to spare her life–a Gerudo warrior, begging! But he got what he wanted in the end!"

  


Zelda stared at her, stunned enough to forget her animosity toward the woman. "What are you saying? He killed...your sister? Ganondorf killed Arjuna?"

  


"Slaughtered her," Azura confirmed bitterly, her eyes as hard as diamonds. 

  


"Farore's mercy, _why?" _Link demanded. "Why would he kill his own agent?"

  


Azura met Link's eyes defiantly. "Because of you, my bitterest enemies."

* * *

  


"Azura. Azura, wake up."

  


The Gerudo warrior frowned against the voice intruding into her dreams. "Go away, Arjuna."

  


"Wake _up!" _Arjuna insisted. "I've something to tell you."

  


Azura opened her eyes and stared irritably up into her sister's face. She sat beside Azura's prone form in the tent they shared in the midst of the Gerudo fortress. "What's so important that you had to interrupt the few hours of sleep I get before my guard shift?"

  


Arjuna glanced around as if checking to make sure they were alone in the tent. Her face was pale and her eyes were bright and feverish. Azura sat up and stared hard at her, frowning.

  


"Arjuna. What?"

  


Arjuna met her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. "They escaped."

  


A chill prickled up Azura's spine. She knew, instinctively, who her twin meant. "That's not possible."

  


"I know, but it still happened. Gan–the master is furious." Arjuna's voice was low and frightened. "He sent us a message. We're to go and look for them immediately, and kill them on the spot."

  


Azura experienced another chill up her spine. "What does the master think we can do if even he couldn't kill them? They must be–they can't be human!"

  


"They're goddess-protected," Arjuna said slowly. "I'm sure of it."

  


Azura stared hard at her twin. She know all too well the expression on Arjuna's face. "Arjuna, no! You're not thinking–"

  


"The master is wrong to want their lives," Arjuna said quietly.

  


"Arjuna!" Azura threw open the flat of the tent, looking around wildly to see if anyone in the vicinity was close enough to have heard. She let it fall shut and looked at Arjuna, resisting the urge to slap her. "What's the matter with you?!"

  


"It's the truth," Arjuna said calmly.

  


This time Azura did slap her. She wanted to knock some sense into her fool of a sister. "Idiot! Do you want to be killed? Don't you dare say such things!"

  


"Who would you rather contend with, Azura? The master or the goddesses themselves?"

  


Azura hesitated. "The goddesses don't exist."

  


"That's a fool's answer."

  


"Yes, but..." Azura stopped, clenching her fists. This very conversation could cost them their lives!

  


"Azura." Arjuna met her eyes, completely serious. "Let's run away."

  


_"Arjuna!" _Azura stared, horrified, at her sister.

  


Arjuna shook her head and stood. "Goodbye then, Azura."

  


"You don't seriously mean...?" Azura demanded.

  


Arjuna's eyes flashed as she looked at her sister. "We're on the losing side, Azura! Din has forsaken the master. Not even the Triforce power could destroy Link and Zelda. If they destroy the master then where will we be? Will the master send us to die first? Will he kill us himself because we're having this conversation? Will he not care that we, his loyal followers, have served him as best we could since the moment of our birth?"

  


"How long have you been thinking about this foolishness?" Azura cried in frustration.

  


"A long time, Azura. Too long." Arjuna sighed heavily. "Do what you think is right. I must do what I think is right, even if that means saying goodbye to my sister."

  


Later Azura discovered from the Gerudo headsister that her twin had been summoned into Ganondorf's presence. She was relieved at the news. Perhaps the master had a new task, something that would distract Arjuna from her ridiculous thoughts of leaving. But why had only Arjuna been called?

  


Some hours later, a white-faced messenger from the citadel came riding into the fortress. "The Black King wants you," she gasped to Azura. "You're to take my horse and go immediately." A Gerudo helped her gulp down a skin of water, but the messenger suddenly waved her away, fell to her knees, and vomited in the sand.

  


Azura felt a sudden chill down her spine and wondered where it had come from. "What happened?" she demanded of the messenger. She realized she sounded frightened.

  


"You must go," the messenger managed to gasp out.

Azura didn't waste another second. She leapt astride the horse and kicked it into a gallop. She rode hard and fast toward the citadel, her mind oddly and strangely blank. The ride seemed to pass in mere seconds, though it was really an hour by horseback. Upon her destination she tumbled from the horse's back and charged inside the black citadel. 

  


As she strode rapidly through the cold, deserted stone corridors, the most horrible sound reached her ears. She had heard something like it only once before; the screaming of a cat that had once been half-trampled under a horse's sharp hooves. A Gerudo had had to put the creature out of its misery while Azura watched, hands over her ears to try and shut out the sound. 

  


She followed the sound, goosebumps rippling everywhere across her flesh. Her mind was still quite calm and composed.

  


Until she saw the blood seeping across the floor of the dungeon and realized the horrible, tormented screaming was that of her sister.

* * *

  


"He tortured her," Azura told Zelda and Link, her voice flat and her expression oddly detached, "and then he murdered her. In front of me. He warned me that the same would happen to me if I ever defied him, as Arjuna had tried to do. He let me bury her." Her lips twisted bitterly. "A small mercy."

Zelda stared at the Gerudo, appalled and horrified. She'd known that Ganondorf was evil, but to murder his own follower in such a terrible way? She met Link's eyes and knew he was thinking the same grim thoughts. If Ganondorf was crazy enough to murder Arjuna, his loyal follower, he'd stop at nothing to destroy them as well.

  


"Azura," Link began. Zelda was surprised at the gentle tone in his voice. "What is it that you want us to do?"

  


Azura gave him a glare that would have stripped paint, raising her chin haughtily. "I ask _nothing_ of your charity," she said vehemently. "I am here to offer my services to you."

  


Zelda stared at her. "To us?"

  


"To you," Azura said shortly, nodding to Zelda. "We–my sister and I–once heard the prophecy that you were to defeat Ganondorf and become the Queen of Hyrule. I offer my loyalty and my services to you."

  


Zelda exchanged another glance with Link. He nodded to her, indicating that she should ask the question. Zelda looked at Azura again.

  


"How can we trust you?" she asked quietly.

  


Azura's chin raised proudly. "I am a Gerudo warrior. We live to fight and we are no liars. Ganondorf betrayed and murdered my sister. In return I intend to betray and murder him. You may trust me because I loved my sister, and on her grave I swear I shall have my revenge."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	22. Seeking the Sages

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Hi again! Welcome to another fun (I hope), exciting (surely?), action-packed (let it be!) chapter of _The Destined_. ^^; It came upon me just about two seconds ago that the chapter count for this story is well into the twenty-sometimes. o.o; Wowee. And there's a lot more to tell...so thanks for following this long, hope you continue to do so!

  


Since TD's humble beginnings I've gotten a lot of questions about the sages and if they'll play a role in the fic. Well, as you may be able to tell from the chapter title, this and future chapters will answer those questions. So sit tight, and away we go...

  


***

  


Chapter 22

Seeking the Sages

  


Saria returned to Link the Master Sword, warning him not to leave the temple. "You and Zelda must stay here for the time being," she said seriously. "It is likely that Ganondorf has agents searching for you everywhere. If you leave there is a good chance he will find you. If he finds you with that sword, it's all over."

  


But confinement in the Forest Temple did not sit well with Zelda. Nor Azura. "You call yourselves heroes?" the Gerudo said scornfully after five long, uneventful days. "What kind of heroes are you when you hide in this temple with your tails between your legs?"

  


"Excuse me? Heroes?" Link growled. "Pardon me if we don't fit your definition of heroes, but we're just trying to survive."

  


_"You _are welcome to leave," Zelda added scathingly, but Link saw that gleam in her eyes that he didn't like. She was restless and tired of being confined. She wanted to take fate into her own hands.

  


So it was no surprise when Zelda approached him with a very serious expression. "Link," she said, "do you remember that prophecy the oracle in Hylia City told me?"

  


"When Nayru spoke through her?" Link asked warily.

  


"Yes." Zelda's eyes glittered. "I remember it word-by-word, Link. _'You will have the Sages, the Feather Man, and the Half at your side. The people will come to you and accept your command. The power of the Goddesses will be yours, and you will embody the Immortal Three-Who-Are-One. When all pieces are joined together, the cycle will be fulfilled, and Balance restored.__'"_

  


"I hate puzzles," Link confessed. "What does it mean?"

  


"That's just it," Zelda said excitedly. "It _is_ a puzzle. And all the pieces are slowly being joined together. The power of the goddesses–that must mean the Triforce. The Feather Man–well, we all know who _that _is. And the Half..." Zelda smiled.

  


It abruptly hit him. "Azura," Link said slowly. "She's a half...she's a twin. With her sister she was one, but now that Arjuna is dead..."

  


"Exactly," Zelda said triumphantly. "We're piecing the puzzle together, and once we do the cycle will fulfill itself, and we'll defeat Ganondorf. It's just a matter of finding the rest of the pieces."

  


Link shook his head. She made it sound far too easy. "And the next piece?"

  


Zelda's eyes glittered. "The Sages."

* * *

  


"The Sages are servants of the Destined," Saria explained in a conference between her, Zelda, Link, and Impa. "They lend their power to Link to aid him in the final battle against Ganondorf."

  


"Can we defeat Ganondorf without them?" Zelda asked.

  


Impa and Saria exchanged a glance. "We do not know," Saria said simply. "It has never happened before."

  


"Then how do we find the Sages?"

  


"You don't," Impa informed them. "The Sages will come to you, once they are awakened."

  


"They number six," Saria explained. "Impa and I are the Sage of Forest and the Sage of Shadow, respectively. There are four more that must be awakened."

  


"There is a seventh as well," Impa added, gazing at Zelda. "An entity more powerful than the other six Sages combined. It is the Sage of Time, and this entity..." She glanced at Saria.

  


"This entity shall awaken in you," Saria told Zelda serenely.

  


Zelda blinked. "A Sage? Me? How do you know?"

  


"We know," Impa said quietly. "It is our duty to know. You are simply unawakened."

  


Zelda exchanged a glance with Link. "Where are the other Sages?" Link asked Impa and Saria, turning his eyes to them. "Have they awakened yet?"

  


Impa shook her head. "None yet."

  


"Then we've got to find them!" Zelda exclaimed. "We _can't_ just sit around and wait for them to show up. There's no time for that."

  


"There's no other option," Impa insisted. "The Sages will awaken eventually. We must be patient."

  


"What if Ganondorf kills one of them before they can awaken?" Zelda demanded. "What if it takes years for any of them to appear? What if Ganondorf kills _us? _I won't wait for him to find us. I will not allow myself to be blindly led by fate!" 

  


"There is _no other option," _Impa repeated, her eyes glittering. "You cannot force an awakening of Sages. End of story."

  


Zelda cursed, clenching her fists in frustration. For a moment there was silence.

  


Then Saria said slowly, "Well...there _is _one other option."

* * *

  


Link found Zelda in the courtyard, sitting on the familiar marble bench and contemplating her future. He could tell from one look at her face that she was seriously considering Saria's proposal.

  


"Zelda–"

  


She interrupted him before he could go further. "I know what you're going to say, Link. I haven't made a decision yet. But when I do, it will be _my_ decision. This is _my_ fate."

  


He scowled and began pacing through the grass, running a hand restlessly through his hair. For a moment he hated Saria with such an intense passion that he surprised himself. Why in Din's name did the sage have to suggest such a ridiculous idea?

  


_"You are the Sage of Time," _Saria had told Zelda earlier in their conversation. _"The power of time is yours to do with as you will. If you do not wish to wait for a Sage awakening, don't. Travel to the future–or the past–and collect the sages of another time."_

  


Impa had reacted exactly as Link–with vehement, almost violent opposition. But the glimmer in Zelda's eyes told far more than words. The idea appealed to her, if only because it gave her some measure of control over her fate, however dangerous.

  


And he had to talk her out of it. 

  


"You heard what Impa said," he argued, facing her. "Even your mother attempted time reversion only once, and she had the aid of a magical instrument. You have nothing but what power you've awakened and your own life-energy. What if you burn it all up?"

  


"I suspect the goddesses will interfere again," Zelda said. 

  


Link cursed under his breath. He recognized this mood as Zelda at her densest and most stubborn. "How would you even know when and where to go in the future?" he asked, swiftly changing tact. 

  


Zelda gave a slow, almost apologetic smile. "I wouldn't go to the future. I'd go to the past."

  


"When?" he demanded.

  


"To my mother's time." Zelda met Link's eyes, completely serious now. "You remember the collective memories Saria shared with us, don't you, Link? I spoke–through my mother–to her sages. Impa, Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Nabooru, Rauru," she rattled off without hesitation. "The names, the persons, are etched into my mind. I am sure I could find them. And I am sure I can find my way back to my mother's time."

  


"Zelda–" Link grasped her hands and tugged her to her feet, his gaze locked with hers. "Saria's idea is madness, pure and simple. You know better than anyone the energy it will take. You could easily die."

  


"And you know as well as I that I could easily die at any time!" Zelda cried in frustration. "We all could! I will _not _sit and wait for Ganondorf to murder me, I will _not _let my fate control me–"

  


"So rather than wait, you'll just rush headlong into death?" Link demanded sharply.

  


"Yes!" Zelda cried. "Because at least that is my _choice!"_

  


There was a long moment of silence in the courtyard, as Link struggled to get his emotions under some measure of control. 

  


"Then I will follow you into death," he said at last.

  


He sensed her hesitation and pressed on. "I suppose without you there wouldn't be any point to going on. I can't defeat Ganondorf on my own, if what the goddesses say is true. Of course there are the thieves to protect. And there's Impa, and Saria. But none of that would matter without you."

  


"I know," Zelda whispered in quiet frustration.

  


"I'm begging you not to do this," Link said quietly. "I don't want to lose you." Zelda averted her gaze, but Link gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. "Promise me, Zelda. Please."

  


Zelda gave a long sigh, the tension seeping from her body. "All right," she whispered.

And in Link's relief, he failed to notice that it wasn't quite a promise.

* * *

  


The next morning Link found Dagger and Bolo waiting for him in the main hall of the temple. "Was Miss Zelda with you last night?" Bolo demanded, wasting no time on pleasantries.

  


"No," Link said regretfully. After their conversation the previous day Zelda hadn't seemed very happy with him. He didn't regret pressing her, though, not if it saved her life. "Why do you ask?" he wondered. True, it was common knowledge that he and Zelda normally spent their nights together, but he didn't recall Zelda's thieves ever being so forward.

  


"She told Saria she was going for a walk in the forest last night," Dagger said worriedly. "She never came back."

  


Link felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.

  


He didn't need a second guess to know exactly where Zelda had gone.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	23. The Shadow Guide

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Well...I like this chapter quite a bit. ^^ Won't say why though, spoilers and all. The updating might be slowing down a bit through December...there's finals week to get through, then I'll be home for Christmas break and working because I have no money, so I don't know how fast I'll be able to write. Hopefully I'll be able to stay at my old pace, but only time will tell.

  


***

  


Chapter 23

The Shadow Guide

  


Even late at night the Lost Woods were alive with sounds–the soft humming of the fireflies, the rustles of birds in the trees and animals in the leaves, the whisper of wind through the forest's dark canopy. Zelda found the forest sounds comforting as she walked steadily deeper into its heart. Before long she came across a deserted, moonlit clearing that would serve her purpose.

  


It was only then that she realized she had no idea what she was doing. Zelda nearly laughed aloud. How did one go about traveling to the past, even if one was the Sage of Time? It was a ludicrous, almost impossible idea. Almost.

  


And Link was going to kill her. Assuming, of course, she came back alive.

  


Zelda smiled with grim humor. If she died, at least she wouldn't have to endure Link's wrath. If she lived, and succeeded, it would be worth it.

  


The wind was picking up. It was a warm breeze, yet Zelda felt a familiar prickling of gooseflesh that had nothing to do with temperature. Instinctively she glanced up.

A shadow swept across the sky, catching the silver moonlight and reflecting it across glittering scales and fragile, nearly transparent wings until Zelda saw clearly its form. 

  


It was a dragon. 

  


Zelda stared in amazement; she had never seen anything like this creature before in her life. It was long, sinuous and graceful, whirling and banking in the sky as it spiraled downward toward the clearing. And it was bearing someone on its back.

  


The dragon touched down in the clearly and Zelda suddenly found herself under the scrutiny of a large, gleaming yellow eye. The dragon's hide was primarily blue with a glimmer of silver, its body thin and sinewy, the tail thin and whip-like, the graceful, arched neck nearly the length of its body. Its thin paws ended in wickedly curved silver talons.

  


"I see you like Blue in this form," a familiar voice called from the dragon's back. Zelda blinked and glanced up as Ronin leapt from his perch at the base of the dragon's neck, landing in the grass beside her.

  


Zelda stared at him, bewildered. "Wasn't Blue an ox?"

  


"Blue is a shapeshifter," Ronin explained, patting the dragon's neck affectionately. "She can take on any form she chooses. She likes the dragon best, but we both figured it would be a bit conspicuous in public." A pleased rumble sounded from deep in Blue's throat as Ronin scratched her hide. 

  


Zelda shook her head. She had seen more strangeness in the past few months than she had in her whole life, but Ronin and his dragon had to be the strangest. "What are you doing here?" she demanded of Ronin, trying to ignore Blue's scrutinizing eye.

  


"I felt a change in the current of the winds." Ronin smiled mysteriously. "The winds whispered to me that you were about to try something very daring and very stupid."

  


"They've got the stupid part down, all right," Zelda said dryly.

  


"Pray tell what exactly it is you intend to do, fair lady?"

  


Zelda looked down, scuffing her toes against the forest floor. "Impa and Saria aren't enough to help us. We need the rest of the sages. I'm going back to my mother's time to find them."

  


"Ahah!" Ronin laughed heartily. "That _is_ stupid!"

  


Blue gave a trill that sounded suspiciously like a snicker.

  


Zelda glared at him. "I don't have any other option. We need the sages _now."_

  


Ronin sobered and smiled at her. "They will never say that you were not brave, Zelda." He glanced up into Blue's yellow eyes. "Well, my dear?"

  


Blue stared at Zelda again for a long moment, then gave another trill. "That's that," Ronin said, nodding. "Blue will go with you."

  


Zelda blinked at him. "Why?"

  


"So you don't waste a few months wandering around in Hyrule looking for these people, that's why." Ronin slapped Blue's shoulder affectionately. "Blue here'll be your wings. She'll get you around fast. Time is what you don't have, isn't it?"

  


"Why would you do that for me?" Zelda asked slowly, staring at him.

  


"For the love of a fair lady, why else?" Ronin grinned at her. "Word of advice to you, Lady Zelda. Trust your instincts." He stepped back, retreating to the far edge of the clearing to give Zelda and Blue space.

  


Zelda hesitated, mulling over his words. Trust her instincts–well, that was better than nothing. After all, hadn't she done the same to awaken the Triforce within her? How different could it be to awaken a Sage?

  


She began by taking a deep breath and erasing her thoughts from her mind. All doubts, fears, and insecurities were pushed away; she focused only on the sound of her breathing. When her mind and her heart were clear, she looked deep inside of herself, searching for the well of light that was her own soul.

  


Without warning something wrapped itself around her, capturing her in its power, its consciousness sliding over hers. As the unknown entity rose to the surface, taking control of her body, Zelda desperately focused her last conscious thoughts on herself, Blue, and a time long ago in Hyrule.

* * *

  


The grass beneath her was soft and sweet-smelling, and the sun warmed her back as she lay with her head in her arms. Zelda came awake and aware slowly, stretching cramped muscles. She had a headache and felt exhausted, yet some urgent need prompted her to wakefulness. There was no time to sleep.

  


It was only when she rolled over that she noticed she had company, sitting cross-legged in the grass beside her.

  


She bolted upright, startled. The world suddenly spun around her and a fierce pain burst in her head. Groaning, Zelda fell back to the grass. 

  


"Easy," said the stranger, brushing a hand across her forehead. Zelda stared at him in wonder. He was a slender young man dressed in blue, wearing a ragged white tunic on which a red, ornamental eye weeping a single large tear was embroidered. The symbol looked very familiar to Zelda, yet she couldn't quite place it. Strips of linen were wrapped around the man's wrists and his chest beneath the tunic, and more ragged linen formed a makeshift mask that concealed his nose and mouth. His left eye was hidden beneath golden hair; the other, visible eye was a vivid, startling blood-red. 

  


It was then that Zelda recognized the symbol on his tunic. Impa had showed it to her once–a Sheikah eye.

  


"Are you a Sheikah?" Zelda asked the young man.

  


"Yes." His voice was light and youthful. His hand rested on her forehead still. Oddly, her head had ceased its pounding. "My name is Sheik."

  


"Sheik." Zelda gazed up at him. His crimson eye disconcerted her in a way that Impa's never had.

  


"And yours?" he inquired, his gaze locked with hers.

  


Zelda blinked and averted her eyes, trying to shed the paralysis he'd wrought on her. "Zelda," she muttered as she pushed herself into a sitting position. For the first time she looked around. A vast plane covered in vividly green grass stretched on in all directions around her. The sun beamed warmly upon the rolling hills and the grass swayed gently in the breeze. Blue lay on her back beside her in a blue-and-silver heap.

  


Zelda jumped up and dashed to the dragon's side. "Blue? Are you all right? Wake up!"

  


The dragon's yellow eyes shot open. She flipped over to her feet, growling savagely. Zelda stepped back as Blue's wings flared, her teeth pulled back in a snarl–then abruptly Blue began to relax, staring around them with curiosity.

  


"Sorry," Zelda apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you."

  


Blue made a sound of reproach and went back to examining their surroundings.

  


"Where are we?" Zelda asked, turning to Sheik, who seemed quite unfazed by the dragon.

  


"Hyrule Field, of course," Sheik replied.

  


Zelda's jaw dropped. She stared around them again, utterly flabbergasted. The vast, grassy plains could only be Hyrule Field, yet this place was completely different from the field she knew. It was peaceful, a perfect picture of tranquility. There was not a monster in sight, and the sky overhead was a clear, brilliant blue, instead of a swirling mass of storm clouds. 

  


_I did it, _she realized suddenly, amazed. _I actually went to another time. That's why Hyrule Field is so different. _

  


"Do you know where I might find the Sages?" she asked Sheik. "It's a matter of extreme importance. I must find Rauru, Ruto, Nabooru, and Darunia as soon as possible."

  


For a moment Sheik gazed at her in silence. "We're at the southernmost part of Hyrule Field," he said at last, nodding in a direction that Zelda took to be south. "Closest to the desert. That is where Nabooru can be found."

  


Zelda glanced south, but Sheik touched her face, sliding his fingers under her chin and turning her gaze back to his. His eyes were perfectly level with hers, Zelda noticed; they were exactly the same height. "Who are you," he asked softly, "that calls herself Zelda and seeks the Sages of Hyrule?"

  


Zelda stared at him as the hair prickled on the back of her neck, completely entranced by this red-eyed young man, until the sound of Blue's trilling brought her back to her senses. The dragon was shifting her weight as she gazed toward the south, plainly impatient to be on their way. She looked at Zelda.

  


_Climb onto my back and I shall bring you to these sages, _the dragon ordered in a faintly feminine voice that sounded through Zelda's mind. _Let us waste no time. _

  


Zelda stared at her in astonishment. "Since when could you talk?"

  


_I have always been able to speak. I simply chose not to do so until now. Tell the red-eyed one you are leaving and let us be on our way._

  


Zelda shook her head, bewildered, and turned to Sheik. "The dragon will take me to the desert," she told him, looking anywhere but into those bemusing crimson eyes. 

  


"Allow me to accompany you," Sheik offered. "I will guide you to all of the sages."

  


Zelda glanced at Blue. Having a guide sounded much better than wandering around Hyrule with no idea where to look. "Is it okay with you?" she asked the dragon.

  


Blue's eyes focused on Sheik for a brief moment, then looked again to Zelda. _The red-eyed one hides himself in shadows._

  


"Well, he _is_ wearing a mask," Zelda muttered, aware that Sheik could hear one side of the conversation. "And he's a Sheikah."

  


_He hides, _the dragon insisted, _but I do not know why. If he comes, he comes now. _Blue unfurled her wings for emphasis. 

  


"She's a bit impatient," Zelda said apologetically to Sheik, which the dragon answered with a noise close to a snort. 

  


Blue instructed Zelda to climb up on her shoulder and straddle the base of her neck. Clumsily she complied. Once comfortably seated, Sheik nimbly mounted Blue without instruction and settled himself behind Zelda, wrapping an arm lightly around her waist. 

  


_Are you secure?_ Blue inquired of her passengers. 

  


"As secure as I'll ever be," Zelda replied, her mouth dry. She didn't relish the idea of flying, even on dragonback.

  


Blue spread her wings, crouching on her hind legs. Zelda felt tension build in the muscles beneath them. Then, like a spring uncoiling, the tension released and Blue leapt into the air, unfurling her great wings and flapping hard to get them aloft. Zelda saw the ground fall away beneath them and grabbed Blue's neck, wrapping her arms around it and hanging on for dear life.

  


_I will not drop you,_ Blue scolded as she caught a current of air and soared ever higher into the sky.

  


"I believe you," Zelda croaked unconvincingly, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Sheik seemed quite unfazed, his grip on her waist light. 

  


"Amazing," he murmured. "I've never traveled this fast."

  


Zelda opened one eye and glanced at the ground, speeding along far below them. She was startled to see that the plains had given way already to yellow, sandy desert; the air was dryer, the wind harsh against their faces.

  


Then Zelda felt something, a sensation that was completely new to her yet familiar all the same. Involuntarily her consciousness reached out and touched another. She felt the presence of a Sage.

  


Zelda wasted no time wondering how she knew any of this. "Land!" she gasped to Blue. "There's a Sage down there! I feel it!"

  


Blue banked and dove so fast that Zelda shrieked. _My apologies, _the dragon said, easing into a gradual downward spiral. _You startled me. _

  


"My fault," Zelda croaked, feeling as though she were about to vomit.

  


"Look," Sheik murmured, pointed. Below them were a small group of mounted warriors, steel blades flashing in the sun. One of them must have spotted Blue, for suddenly there were many panicked cries and the movement of weapons being readied.

  


_They mean to attack me,_ Blue said in an outraged tone, and before Zelda or Sheik could reply, she landed in the sand, raised herself onto her haunches, and bellowed forth a bloodcurdling roar. The horses shrieked and threw their riders to the ground, stampeding away from the dragon as fast as they could while the warriors–a Gerudo squad–scrambled for their weapons, their faces reflecting acute terror.

  


"Don't hurt them, Blue!" Zelda cried, shaking all over from fright at the dragon's bellow. She tumbled from Blue's back, landing on her hands and knees in the sand. Sheik leapt down gracefully beside her and tugged her to her feet.

  


_I do not intend to attack them, _the dragon said mildly. _Merely to discourage them from attacking me._

  


It seemed her plan had worked. The Gerudo were on their feet and brandishing weapons, but neither of them made a move toward the dragon. Then suddenly one of the women dropped her pair of scimitars and stared at Zelda.

  


"Your Majesty? What on earth are you doing out here in the desert?" she exclaimed. "What are you wearing? Who is that man? And what–what is _that?" _She gestured wildly at Blue.

  


Zelda looked closely at the Gerudo, uncertain of how to answer. She was tall, slender, and voluptuous, arms and legs well-muscled, her skin darkly tanned. She wore the strapless midriff and full leggings that were standard Gerudo garb, hers a pale pink like the color of dawn. Her vivid red hair was pulled away from her face and held at the back of her head by a jeweled clip. Her face was beautiful and proud, with heavy-lidded amber eyes, a prominent nose, and full scarlet lips.

  


Recognition struck Zelda like a hammer. "Nabooru," she whispered, gazing at the Sage of Spirit.

  


Nabooru cocked her head to one side and stared hard at her. "Yes, I'm Nabooru," she said impatiently. "Are you all right, Your Majesty? Has something happened? Why in are you in the desert?"

  


Abruptly Zelda understood why Nabooru was speaking to her in such a familiar manner. The sage thought she was her mother, the present Queen of Hyrule. _How am I ever going to explain this? _Zelda wondered. She looked at the Gerudo's companions.

  


"Nabooru, may we speak in private?" she asked politely.

  


Nabooru blinked. "Of course." She turned to the other Gerudo and dismissed them, ordering them to head back to the fortress. When the squad was well on their way, she turned to Zelda, gripping her arm and tugging her out of earshot of Sheik and Blue. "Now, what's wrong?" Nabooru asked seriously.

  


Zelda hesitated. "This is going to sound very odd," she confessed. "But please, just bear with me."

Nabooru nodded, her amber eyes betraying her worry.

  


Zelda took a deep breath. "I'm not who you think I am. I'm not the Queen. You and I have actually never met before."

  


Nabooru's eyebrows shot up. "Do you have a fever, Your Majesty?" she inquired, pressing a hand to Zelda's forehead.

  


Zelda batted it away. "Call me Zelda," she said impatiently. "Like I told you, I'm not the Queen of Hyrule." She paused again. _Well, I've come this far, _she thought wryly, and plunged ahead. "I'm her daughter."

  


Nabooru stared at her in silence for a very long moment. "You're _what?" _she said at last.

  


"I'm the daughter of the Zelda you know," Zelda explained. "I'm named after her."

  


"Zelda doesn't have a daughter," Nabooru informed her.

  


"I know. I used my powers–the Sage of Time's powers–to come to the past, before I was born. In my time my mother isn't even alive, and Ganondorf is the king of Hyrule, and I need the sages–in short, I need you. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth."

  


Zelda took another breath, having talked without pause in her effort to convince Nabooru. The sage again remained silent for several long moments.

  


"How do I know," she began at last, "that you aren't some sort of imposter? How do I know that your intentions aren't evil?"

  


"Look–" Zelda impatiently held up her hand, showing Nabooru the goddess mark on the back. "What more proof do you need? I've been chosen by the goddesses to help defeat Ganondorf in my time, but to even have a chance I need you. Please, Nabooru."

  


Nabooru sighed. "I'm not saying I believe you," she warned, "but I suppose that Triforce mark at least proves that you aren't a fake." She nodded toward Zelda's companions. "Who are they, if you don't mind my asking?"

  


"The dragon is Blue," Zelda explained. "She came back with me from my time to help me get around quickly. I have no time to waste. That's Sheik," she added, gesturing toward the Sheikah. "He's my guide. He's helping me to find the sages."

  


Nabooru barely glanced at Blue, focusing instead on Sheik. "Have we met before?" she asked suspiciously. "I could swear I know you, but I don't know how."

  


"I don't believe we have," Sheik replied calmly.

  


_Come, Zelda, _Blue ordered, rustling her wings impatiently. _You have your Sage of Spirit; let us find the others._

  


Blue was right. They had no time to waste. "Will you come?" Zelda asked Nabooru, praying that the sage agreed.

  


Nabooru sighed again. "It's my duty to serve the Sage of Time, whatever form she takes," she said dryly. "I'll come."

  


And minutes later Zelda, Nabooru, Sheik, and Blue were flying over Hyrule, seeking the next Sage.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	24. A Fish Out of Water

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Ack!! What else can I say but ack! I'm so, so sorry this chapter took so long to come out, but for once it's not my fault! o.o (Really!) My computer came down with a terrible virus that damaged loads of programs. Nothing was working properly. I had to wipe the hard drive clean and reinstall everything; I'm just really, really lucky I was able to save my documents beforehand. I only just got my comp working yesterday.

  


On the plus side I'm writing again and am well into a Chapter 28, a first for me as my stories usually don't go past twenty-five or twenty-six chapters. So expect updates more often. Sorry again for the delay, and enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 24

A Fish Out of Water

  


Zelda had never been to the Zora Domain. Most people agreed it had been deserted, though some still insisted that a few Zora hid themselves inside the secret lagoon. Parcleus was descended from a tribe of saltwater Zora that had once roamed the coast of Hyrule, but there few full Zora left, only half-breeds and descendants. 

  


Of course, that was in the future, in Zelda's time. Not here and now, in what Zelda considered the past but everyone around her knew to be the present.

  


Blue sought out the river snaking from the Zora Domain to Hylia Lake and followed it north, gliding so high in the sky that they were a mere speck of a shadow on the ground below. Zelda clung tightly to Blue's neck as the dragon began her descent toward the Zora Domain. 

  


_Where shall I land? _the dragon inquired as they glided over the river.

  


Zelda had no idea, so she relayed the question to her companions. "There is an outcropping of rock above the waterfall that guards the domain of the Zora," Sheik replied.

  


They spotted the waterfall, a roaring, foaming rush of water cascading to the river below. Blue banked and touched down on the slippery rocks at the top of the waterfall, flapping her wings to maintain balance. Sheik slid nimbly from her back and landed catlike on a walkway carved of rock before the waterfall. "Down here," he called to the others.

  


"Don't make it look so easy," Nabooru called as she and Zelda climbed–more like slipped–down Blue's back and tail, landing precariously on the walkway beside Sheik. The three of them stared at the waterfall. 

  


"That looks too strong to leap through," Zelda said worriedly. "We'd get pushed into the river. But the domain is behind it, right? How do we get there?"

  


In response Sheik extended his hands, holding them palm up before him. A golden glow appeared in the center of his hands, taking on form and detail as Zelda and Nabooru watched, open-mouthed. The shape solidified in his hands, and suddenly Sheik was gripping a golden lyre. With practiced fingers he stroked the strings of the finely-tuned instrument, sending a ripple of notes through the air before he deftly plucked a short, slow tune with an almost wistful sound. Suddenly the roar of the waterfall ceased to a mere trickle, and an opening in the rock wall behind it beckoned to the Zora Domain.

  


"Farore's mercy," Zelda whispered, mystified. 

  


"Where did you learn that song?" Nabooru demanded suspiciously of Sheik. "Only members of the Royal Family and those of their choosing know it."

  


Sheik plucked a string mildly, then let the lyre go. It hovered in midair for a moment before dissolving in a stream of golden light. "We Sheikah are the shadows of the Royal Family," he said. "I know the song because I must."

  


Nabooru still looked suspicious, but she dutifully turned back to face the waterfall. The three of them looked at it grimly for a moment, then at each other. In unison they leapt across the gap, through the light shower of water and into the Zora Domain.

  


They found themselves inside a cave where blue ripples traced across the walls and a path led deeper into the cavern, toward the sound of another roaring waterfall. "Now," Nabooru said briskly, turning to Zelda, "I think the best way to go about this would be for you to assume the identity of the Queen. Goddesses know you're practically her twin."

  


Zelda winced. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of impersonating the mother she'd never known. "Do I have to? Impersonating royalty, that's got to be illegal. Even if she is my mother."

  


"Nabooru's plan is good," Sheik said decidedly. "You'll be allowed access immediately to Princess Ruto."

  


Nabooru was briskly tugging at Zelda's clothes, straightening wrinkles from her frayed white shirt. "It would be better if you weren't dressed like a peasant, but we'll just have to make do. Stand up tall," she ordered. "Put your shoulders back. Queens don't slouch."

  


"Speak slowly and deliberately," Sheik added. "Pronounce every syllable clearly."

  


"Understand the difference between requesting and asking," Nabooru said. "Request something as if you know you won't be denied. You may be a guest in the Zora Domain, but you're also a Queen, and entitled to see your cousin Ruto."

  


"Cousin?" Zelda asked, blinking.

  


"Members of the royal class consider one another cousins." Nabooru rolled her eyes. "You really _are_ a peasant, aren't you?"

  


Zelda grinned. "No. I'm a thief."

  


Nabooru blinked at her, then abruptly laughed and clapped her on the shoulder. "So we've something in common after all!"

  


They headed deeper into the cave, toward the sound of the waterfall. Before long their path opened into an enormous cavern filled with water. Water rushed from an underground river and fell into the pool below that filled the cavern's stone basin. The rocks walls reflected the rippling of the water, and the entire cavern was lit with a mysterious blue light.

  


Zora were everywhere, lounging on the rocks, gossiping with their friends, swimming in the pool. Zelda, Sheik, and Nabooru attracted attention immediately; two Zora swam to the lip of the pool beside them and climbed out to inspect them.

  


"Your Majesty?" one of the Zora asked, sounding bewildered. Belated he and his companion bowed. "Please forgive our inhospitality. We were not expecting you."

  


"That's all right." Zelda looked uncertainly at Nabooru, but the sage jabbed her with a sharp elbow. "Ouch! Ahh–I'd like to see Princess Ruto, please."

  


"Of course, Your Majesty," exclaimed the other Zora, bowing. "We will fetch Her Highness at once." The two Zora dove back into the water and swam rapidly to a tiny island made of rock in the middle of the pool, on which a lone Zora lounged. 

  


Nabooru nudged Zelda and nodded toward the Zora. "Princess Ruto."

  


Zelda watched as the two Zora messengers approached and spoke deferentially to the princess. The three Zora glanced in Zelda's direction, then the princess dove from her rock, swam to the edge of the pool, and climbed out.

  


Zelda silently took the measure of the Zora princess as she rose gracefully, shoulders back and chin lifted in a proud, almost haughty stance. Like the rest of the Zora she wore not an inch of clothing over her blue-tinged skin. She was taller than Zelda by an inch or so, slender and quite voluptuous. The wide fins on her arms and legs were iridescent, a kaleidoscope of shimmering colors. Not a hint of modesty showed in her blue eyes and the seductive pout of her dewy lips. She was beautiful, and she knew it. Ruto, the Sage of Water.

  
  


"Welcome, cousin," Ruto's voice was prim and proper, but she clasped Zelda's hands warmly and smiled. "This is unexpected. What brings you to the Zora Domain?" She turned to Nabooru before Zelda had a chance to answer. "Nabooru! Happy to see you!"

"The pleasure's mine, Ruto," Nabooru replied with a laugh surely reserved for Ruto's royal airs.

  


"Now, him..." Ruto's gaze shifted to Sheik. She frowned, placing a finger thoughtfully against her chin. "You look very familiar to me. Who are you, please?"

  


Sheik bowed. "I serve the Queen, Your Highness. My name is Sheik."

  


"May we speak with you in private, Ruto?" Nabooru requested politely. "It's very important."

  


"Of course!" Ruto tore her eyes from Sheik. "This way."

  


As the princess led them deeper into the caverns, Zelda found herself watching Sheik closely. So Ruto seemed to recognize Sheik as well–why? One thing she was certain of–Sheik wasn't a normal person. Zelda would stake her life on that.

  


So what was he?

  


Sheik caught her staring. Those fathomless crimson eyes turned to her, and for the moment their gazes locked Zelda was struck with an incredible sense of recognition–but not recognition as Ruto and Nabooru felt. She looked into his blood-red eyes and saw herself gazing back.

  


When Sheik smiled at her, she knew it, although his mouth was still concealed behind the mask. She had to avert her gaze. 

  


Ruto led them to a chamber that looked very much like a throne room. Torches flickered in the corners of the stone-cut walls and a small fountain trickled around a regal throne, falling into a pool below and flowing toward the waterfall that rushed through the cavern. The princess turned to them and smiled. "Now, what may I do for you, cousin?"

  


Zelda glanced at Nabooru, then Sheik. "I can drop the charade now, right?"

  


Ruto blinked. "What charade?"

  


"This is gonna sound really nuts, Ruto," Nabooru interrupted hastily. "Frankly I'm not quite sure I believe it myself. But either I'm having some very weird hallucination or Zelda here is telling the truth."

  


Ruto frowned, staring at them. "The truth about what?"

  


Nabooru and Sheik looked at Zelda expectantly. "Thanks," she said dryly, then sighed. "Listen, Ruto–I'm not the Queen. I'm her daughter from the future. Two or three decades from now, the Queen will be dead and Ganondorf will be the King of Hyrule–"

  


"And the sages will need to band together once again to help defeat him," Nabooru said helpfully.

  


Ruto stared at them in silence, her expression clearly indicating that she thought them all insane.

  


Zelda sighed again. "I'm going to have to explain this to every sage, aren't I?"

  


"Probably," Nabooru said dismissively. "Look, Ruto, come with us. It's urgent, or so it seems. I'm sure we'll get some straight answers sooner or later."

  


Ruto lifted her chin haughtily, staring accusingly at Zelda. "No, you _aren't _the Queen. No wonder you dress and speak like a peasant. What manner of imposter are you?"

  
  


Zelda drew herself up indignantly. "I am my mother's daughter!"

  


"She is," Sheik said softly. All three turned to look at him. He was watching Zelda, his single visible eye alight with crimson fire. Zelda stared back at him, transfixed once again. "She resembles the Queen quite vividly but she is not a perfect replica. Her cheeks are rounder and her eyes wider. Her hair is more golden–her father's influence, no doubt. But I see Zelda in her eyes. She is, indeed, her mother's daughter.

  


"Ruto," Sheik said abruptly, turning to the princess. "You will come. You will come because a sage summons you for help and it is your duty. Appoint someone to regent your kingdom in your absence. Take the necessary precautions. When Zelda returns here, you shall be ready. It is no small favor she asks of you. She asks you to preserve the future–to preserve her world." The Sheikah nodded to the others, then turned and left the throne room, padding quietly against the stone floor. Zelda, Nabooru, and Ruto watched him go, open-mouthed.

  


Ruto was the first to break their stunned trance. "Tell me this," she demanded, turning her glinting eyes to Zelda. "You say you come from a future where Ganondorf is king and Zelda–your mother–is dead. If you come to the seek the sages here, what has happened to us in your time?"

  


Zelda flinched. She had known, somehow, that this question would come, but there was no way to prepare for it.

  


"Impa and Saria remain," she began. Nabooru and Ruto watched her in silence, waiting.

  


"They told me I had two options," Zelda said quietly. "One was to wait for the sages to awaken in my time. The other was to seek the sages in a different time. They never speak of you, but there's only one assumption to be made.

  


"At some point during Ganondorf's conquest of Hyrule, Nabooru, Ruto, Darunia, and Rauru all died."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	25. Mountain and Temple

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Thanks for all the feedback from the last chapter, I'm glad to see people haven't forgotten this fic exists. ^^; I was just watching _The Apprentice _on NBC–you know, that Donald Trump show? I don't know how businessmen and women do it. I'm so glad I'm a writer. Of course, I'll probably be dead poor after college...ah well...

  


I got a question last time regarding the whole time-traveling thing I have going on. Zeldafan wanted to know if going to the past would completely screw up the future, especially now that the sages know they die. Well, in this instance, not necessarily. It goes back to that question of fate that I've been exploring throughout the story–does fate control our lives, or can we get around it? Using the sages' example, everyone knows that death is coming for them, sooner or later. There's no way to stop it; you can't cheat death. So even if you knew when and how, would you be able to escape it?

  


These are a lot of open-ended questions that I certainly don't have the answers to. I just enjoy exploring them. Within the context of this story, as much as my characters would like to believe that fate is escapable, I think they're slowly realizing it's not. So going to the past would probably change little.

  


***

  


Chapter 25

Mountain and Temple

  


Ruto remained in the Zora Kingdom to do exactly as Sheik had advised–appoint a regent and prepare her kingdom for her absence. "Unlike you, I cannot simply drop everything and leave," she informed Nabooru with a sniff. "When you have found the other sages, return here and I shall be ready."

  


"Just like Sheik commanded, eh?" Nabooru jabbed.

  


Ruto narrowed her eyes. "I do not take orders from Sheikah peasants," she said calmly. "But as he has reminded me, a sage is in need–" She cast a rather disdainful look at Zelda, "–and it is my duty to aid her."

  


"Don't mind Ruto," Nabooru advised Zelda as they left the Zora Domain together. "She puts on airs, but she's really all right."

  


Zelda shook her head. "I don't mind. I'm just interested in finding the sages and getting back to my time. Not that I'm looking forward to that much," she added with a shudder. "Link is going to _murder_ me."

  


Nabooru looked at her with interest. "So you have a Link in your time, too," she said slowly. "Well, of course you do–I suppose you'd need him to defeat Ganondorf."

  


"Yes," Zelda replied quietly. Then without warning, all of her frustration spilled from her lips. "I don't understand, Nabooru! Why must Link and I be Destined? Why should we even bother trying to defeat Ganondorf if he's just going to be reborn again in another generation?! What the hell is the _point?! _Link and I could be killed, our loved ones could be tortured and murdered–there's far more at stake than some obscure destiny! You–you come from this time, where it's peaceful and Hyrule Field is green, and there are no monsters, human or otherwise, and _Ganondorf isn't here!"_

  


"Stop it," Nabooru said sharply. "Don't you dare try to tell me what it's like living under Ganondorf. Believe me, Zelda, I know. It's been five years since Ganondorf was defeated and sealed away inside the void. Only five years to try and erase the memory of the horror that Ganondorf wrought upon this land. Has no one ever told you _our_ story?"

Zelda shook her head slowly.

  


They emerged from the waterfall out into the sunshine, on the rocks above which Blue perched. Nabooru looked up to the cloudless sky, her eyes dark. "The Gerudo are a race of women. We birth a male only once every century, and this male becomes our king. Unfortunately, we birthed Ganondorf. I grew up under his command as he slowly spread his evil over Hyrule. Of course the goddesses could hardly fail to notice this, and by fate or I don't know what, Link and Zelda were born. When they were ten years old, Ganondorf made his move. He attacked the castle. Link went to the Temple of Time for the Master Sword–"

  


Zelda blinked. "Link has that sword. That is, my Link."

  


Nabooru nodded. "Of course he does. It's the only sword that can defeat the ultimate evil–that can kill Ganondorf. Link took the Master Sword, opening the door to the Sacred Realm, but he was much too young to defeat Ganondorf at the time. So the goddesses put him to sleep for seven years.

  


"Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm and stole the Triforce of Power. He used it to destroy Hyrule in just seven years. Your mother could do nothing. It was around that time that I broke away from Ganondorf's rule, but I too, could do nothing. The world waited with bated breath for Link to awaken. When he did, he managed to defeat the Black King, but it has taken the work of five years to restore Hyrule to its former glory, and our work is not done. Meanwhile, we have a Queen with no heir and a Hero who refuses to–" Nabooru broke off, drawing a long breath. 

  


"But you," she said slowly, looking at Zelda, "you say you are the Queen's daughter. Do you know, then, who your father is?"

  


Zelda hesitated. "Yes," she said quietly at last. "So, I think, do you."

  


_If you are finished with your conversation?_ Blue inquired, sounding bored. _We really must be on our way._

* * *

  


Sheik had apparently disappeared. "No time to go looking for him, I suppose," Nabooru said regretfully as she and Zelda climbed onto Blue's back. "I wonder where he went?"

  


Zelda said nothing. In truth, she was relieved. Sheik unnerved her in a way that no one else ever had, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know why.

  


Blue unfurled her wings and took to the sky once more, and momentarily they were speeding north, toward Death Mountain. It was the highest mountain in Hyrule and a volcano besides, its peak always surrounded by an ashy ring of clouds. Zelda had never been to the peak herself, nor to the Goron city that lay within the heart of the mountain. This city was their next destination.

  


"Darunia's a fun guy," Nabooru called over the wind rushing through Blue's wings. "He's a king in his own right, but he doesn't put on any airs. He treats everyone as his equal, Goron or not. He shouldn't be too hard to convince."

  


"Here's hoping," Zelda called back as Blue descended toward the mountain.

  


The dragon circled the mountain and touched down carefully upon the path that wound its way up from Kakariko Village. As Zelda and Nabooru slid from her back, what initially appeared to be a boulder sat up and looked at them with bright, beetle-black eyes. The Goron climbed to its feet and waddled over to them, not at all intimidated by Blue's presence. In fact he seemed quite enchanted.

  


"Beautiful," he said in a low, awed voice, placing a hand against the dragon's flank. Blue began to hum, her eyes half-closing as the Goron scratched her hide.

  


"She's very friendly," Zelda said unnecessarily.

  


Nabooru smiled at the Goron. "Is your Big Brother around, friend?"

  


The Goron nodded. "In the city. Go. You are welcome."

  


"Thanks," Nabooru said cheerfully. She tugged at Zelda's shirt sleeve. "Come on."

  


Zelda glanced back as she and Nabooru made their way up the trail to see the Goron entertaining Blue. "He was so trusting," she said quietly. "What if you and I intended to attack their city or their king?"

  


Nabooru sighed. "The Gorons' trusting nature was what got them in trouble with Ganondorf long ago. But they'll never change. That's just the way they are."

  


Zelda was silent. The few Gorons she knew in her time were as suspicious and distrusting of strangers as everyone else in Hyrule, but she didn't want to tell Nabooru that she was wrong.

  


The Gorons' city, like the Zora Domain, was inside an enormous cavern, but devoid of water. It was cool and dry, the air pleasantly earth-scented. Nabooru led Zelda down several winding staircases to the lowest level. They passed several Goron, many of them napping lightly, but none stopped them or asked what their business was, as if Nabooru and Zelda themselves were Gorons.

  


On the lowest level, situated in the center of the city they found a group of Gorons. They were seated on the packed earth underfoot, intent on what appeared to be some sort of dice game using differently-shaped and -colored rocks. A Goron glanced up as the two women approached.

  


"Zelda! Nabooru!" Abruptly the women were caught up in a bone-crushing hug.

  


"Hello, Darunia," Nabooru squeaked.

  


The Goron squeezed them once more and let go. Standing, he towered over the women, a big-bellied, broad-shouldered fellow with a wide, fierce smile and beetle-black eyes lit with intelligence. His feral face was surrounded by a beard and thick mane of hair, giving him the appearance of a wild demon.

  


"This is unexpected," he boomed, his voice as impressive as his appearance. "Tell me you're here on holiday, Zelda, and not to impart some dire news of the kingdom."

  


Zelda grimaced. "Dire news, I'm afraid," she told Darunia, the Sage of Fire.

  


"Ack. I thought you might say that." Darunia glared around at his fellow Gorons. "Scram, all of you. It's secret meeting time."

  


Once they were alone, Darunia folded his arms across his chest and looked Zelda over with a critical eye. "What are you doing without your royal guards?" he demanded. "For that matter, why do you look like a peasant?" His wide mouth curled into a frown. "There's something different about you, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

  


Nabooru exchanged a grin with Zelda. "There _is_ something different about her, Darunia," the sage confided. "Something big, actually."

A thick eyebrow rose. "What kinda trick are you kids pulling on me?" Darunia wanted to know.

  


"No trick," Nabooru assured him, clapping Zelda on the shoulder. "Darunia, this is your niece's daughter."

  


Darunia blinked at her. Nabooru took advantage of his silence to inform Zelda, "The former king, your grandfather, made an oath with Darunia and became his Sworn Brother. Your mother is Darunia's niece, which means he's your great-uncle."

  


"What in Din's name are you blithering about, Nabooru?" Darunia bellowed, scowling. "Zelda's mother is dead! _She's_ my niece." He gestured at Zelda.

  


Nabooru sighed. "Darunia, take a good, long look at her. Believe it or not, she's not the Zelda you know."

  


Zelda abruptly found herself under Darunia's thorough scrutiny. "Farore's mercy," the Goron said softly after several long moments. "Who in the hell are you?"

  


"The Queen's daughter," Zelda explained for the third time today, flushing under Darunia's scrutiny. "I've come back in time from some twenty-something years in the future to find the sages. In my time, Ganondorf has risen again and I need your help to defeat him." As an afterthought she added, "My name is also Zelda."

  


"After her mother, no doubt," Nabooru added impishly.

  


Darunia stared at her in silence, then abruptly stretched out an enormous hand. Zelda hesitated for a moment, not sure what he wanted, then placed her hand in his. She was suddenly engulfed in heat as old and powerful as the Death Mountain volcano itself; her skin flushed crimson and she had to pull her hand away, but not before something inside her had answered the call of the Sage of Fire.

  


"So you are the Sage of Time," Darunia said slowly, "and the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom. But not, I see, the Zelda of this time."

  


"Does that mean you'll help us?" Nabooru said hopefully.

  


Darunia blinked. "'Course it does!" he boomed. "It's my duty, after all."

  


Zelda sighed in relief, but a strange excitement stirred inside her. She had found three Sages–only one remained.

* * *

  


Unlike Ruto, Darunia didn't need time to make preparations. He joined Nabooru and Zelda outside his city within ten minutes. "I told my son to look after things while I'm gone," he explained. "'Bout time he took some responsibility onto his shoulders anyhow. He's gonna be Big Brother himself someday, so this'll be good for him."

  


When Darunia saw Blue, his eyebrows shot up and he whistled, clearly impressed. "She's gorgeous," he said in awe while the dragon preened herself, pleased by the compliment. "So slender though. You sure she can handle my weight?"

  


Blue flared her wings to their full, impressive span, a clear answer. _Where to next?_

  


"Good question," Zelda replied, frowning. "Where to?" she asked the sages.

  


"Well, we've found Ruto," Nabooru said slowly, "and you say Impa and Saria are waiting for us in your time...so that just leaves Rauru." Nabooru and Darunia exchanged a glance. 

  


"What is it?" Zelda asked.

  


"Rauru lives at the Temple of Time," Darunia explained. "It's in the Hylian Castle Town."

  


"Where your mother and her people reside," Nabooru added.

  


_Uh-oh, _Zelda thought. That could be trouble. She had no desire to run into her mother _or_ father in this world.

  


Nabooru was silent for a few moments, thinking, then abruptly she smiled. "I think it's time for you and I to pay a visit to the Queen," she announced to Darunia.

  


Darunia grinned back. "Good idea. We'll distract her, then you can go to the temple and get Rauru," he added to Zelda.

  


Zelda blinked. "Alone?"

  


"Sure," Nabooru said casually. "Rauru's easy enough to find, he'll be the cranky old guy haunting the temple."

  


"That's not the problem," Zelda muttered. She didn't relish the idea of trying to convince a Hylian sage that she was not his Queen on her own.

  


Darunia clapped her on the back, nearly knocking her over. "You'll do fine, little lady. Don't worry about it."

  


Blue flew them down from the mountain, and touched down outside of the castle town in Hyrule Field. Zelda, Nabooru, and Darunia went on alone. Zelda didn't get to see much of the castle town, as Nabooru and Darunia insisted on skirting the back alleys to avoid any incidents of mistaken identity. Even the alleys of the castle town seemed tidy and well-kept. The buildings were mostly jaunty little cottages with flowers in the window sills. It seemed cleaner, brighter, than any town in Zelda's time.

  


They soon came upon the temple, a cathedral-like structure surrounded by a peaceful, quiet garden. "That's it," Nabooru whispered, "the Temple of Time. Darunia and I will head off to the castle. We'll meet you back in Hyrule Field, okay?"

  


"Okay," Zelda replied, trying not to feel nervous.

  


Nabooru gave her a little push toward the temple. "Good luck!"

  


Zelda watched the sages leave the way they'd come, then made her way through the garden and to the front doors of the temple. She hesitated, then pushed open a door and slipped inside. 

  


It was well-lit inside the Temple of Time; watery sunlight filtered through dozens of pristine windows spaced along the walls. She found herself in a long hallway, the floor underfoot marble. A red carpet led to an altar and a door beyond. Zelda knew this place well. She had, after all, visited its sister structure in the Sacred Realm.

  


The temple appeared to be empty. Zelda took a hesitant step toward the altar, wondering where Rauru could be. 

  


Then her arm was seized in a strong grip and twisted behind her back as a dagger pressed against her throat.

  


"Who are you," a harsh voice at her ear demanded, squeezing her arm painfully, "that dares to steal the semblance of the Queen?"

* * *

  


To be continued.


	26. The Sages Return

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


I've written so much of this fic lately I decided to be nice and update earlier than I planned. :D This will be my last update at home for a while, as my break ends at last this weekend and I go back up to school for the new semester.

  


Funny thing about last chapter–everyone was sure they knew who accosted Zelda in the temple, but only half were right. ^^;

  


***

  


Chapter 26 

The Sages Return

  


Zelda held herself quite still, sweating. That dagger against her throat was all-too real. "Please, I don't mean any harm," she said as quietly and calmly as possible. The dagger pressed harder against her flesh.

  


"Rauru!"

  


Zelda and her attacker both froze at the familiar voice. "She's an imposter, Sheik," her attacker said at last, though the pressure on her throat lessened. "You of all people should know that."

  


"She is no imposter," Sheik replied calmly from somewhere behind Zelda. "She is the Queen's daughter."

  


The dagger against her throat lifted away, and Zelda was abruptly jerked around to face a pair of lightning-sparked blue eyes set in a pale, wrinkled face well-worn by age. Her attacker was an old man with tangled white hair, wearing a cleric's red robe. Rauru, Sheik had called him. He was the Sage of Light.

  


"Farore's mercy," the old man whispered, studying Zelda's face.

  


"You see?" Sheik stood well-back behind Rauru. Zelda stared at him accusingly.

  


"Who are you?" she demanded. "What is it that you want?"

  


"I might ask the same of you, young lady, daughter of my Queen," Rauru said shrewdly. 

  


"Go to the castle," Sheik instructed Rauru, his eyes intent on Zelda's face. "There you will find Nabooru and Darunia. They'll explain matters to you. I'd like to speak with her."

  


Rauru hesitated for a moment, his hand still clamped around Zelda's wrist, then let go of her and backed away. "Very well," he said quietly, turning from Zelda at last and looking to Sheik. "If I don't get answers from them, I will–" His raspy voice took on a fierce undercurrent, "–get them from you."

  


"Of course," Sheik assured him. "You'll get your answers." Rauru left, shutting the doors of the temple ominously behind him.

  


Zelda gazed at Sheik in silence. She didn't like this one bit, trapped inside this temple with a man who sent chills down her spine with every glance. She didn't think he intended to hurt her, but then again, she couldn't for the life her fathom what he _did_ intend.

  


Sheik drew his mask down to his chin, and his smile was full of mystery. "You asked me who I am," he reminded her mildly. "I shall answer that question first.

  


"Some years ago, there was a woman whom Ganondorf threatened with death, and she was forced to change her identity for her protection. She took on the persona of a Sheikah male–me–and in doing so gave me life. We are shadow people, Zelda. We are the shadows of those whom we serve. Bound to them forever, we do not die. If the person we are bound to dies and we cannot find another master, we cease to exist. Without substance, we cannot be. That is what it means to be a Sheikah.

  


"Your Impa–she has lived for thousands of years by serving the women of the Royal Family of Hyrule. She exists now because you sustain her, as my mistress sustains me."

  


Zelda stared at Sheik in wonder. "How do you know all of this?"

  


A smile spread slowly over the Sheikah's face. "Because she who is your mother is also mine."

  


Zelda stared at him in amazement, his words ringing through her mind. "Then..." she whispered, "then the woman who disguised herself as you–the one who created you–was my mother?"

  


Sheik nodded, looking pleased. "You are clever, daughter of my mistress. During the seven years that Link slept after taking the Master Sword, your mother hid herself inside of this temple, with Rauru. Aside from Impa, he probably knows Zelda best of all–it is no small wonder that he realized you were not the same as she. During those seven years, your mother came to create me, and I was born."

  


He looked at his hands, and Zelda suddenly realized they were quite slender for a male's; the rest of him was slender and willowy as well, and he was barely Zelda's height. Sheik watched her, smiling. "You see it, don't you? This body, it is originally your mother's."

  


Zelda remembered the flash of recognition she had felt upon looking into Sheik's eyes–it had seemed, for one brief moment, as if she was looking at herself. Yet it was not herself she had recognized then, but her mother.

  


"Her consciousness is gone now, in a state of sleep," Sheik continued, "and my consciousness is in control. At times we have warred, your mother and I, over the possession of this body we share, but for the most part we coexist quite peacefully."

  


"Why are you in control now, and not she?" Zelda demanded, feeling herself tremble at the thought of speaking to her own mother, here and now.

  


"She cannot speak to you," Sheik told her quietly, as if he'd read her mind. "She cannot know you. What if you told her of the future, and she attempted to prevent that future from occurring? Can you say you know how time's flow would be altered?

  


"She sensed you the moment you arrived here. But I have imprisoned her consciousness, and I will not set her free until you are gone. She will think that she only dreamed your presence. That is how it must be.

  


"Now, you must leave," Sheik continued. "Before anyone else can see you and figure out that you aren't the Queen. You have your sages. Go back to your own time."

  


Zelda hesitated. "Will I see you again?"

  


Sheik smiled. "I doubt it. I am bound to your mother. Because I share her body, I cannot find new sustenance. When she dies, so shall I."

* * *

  


Following Sheik's advice, Zelda returned to Blue outside of the castle town, in Hyrule Field. It wasn't long before Nabooru, Darunia, and Rauru, the old Sage of Light, met them there.

  


"We've talked it over," Nabooru said by way of greeting, "and we'll come with you to the future under two conditions."

  


"What are those?" Zelda inquired politely. 

  


"First, you leave Saria and Impa in this time to protect our Hyrule, in case it comes to that. You say they're already in your time, so I assume you don't need–"

  


"Oh no," Zelda said quickly. "That would be messing with the past, or the future, or–well, you know."

  


"You're already 'messing with the past, or the future, or well you know,'" Rauru said dryly.

  


"Second condition," Nabooru went on, "is that you return us to our time once we've done what we can to aid you."

  


Zelda nodded vigorously. "Of course."

  


Nabooru smiled. "That's it, then. We'll come with you to your time."

  


"What about Ruto?" Zelda asked uncertainly. "Do you think she'll agree to the terms?"

  


"She already has," Darunia reported. "We spoke to her through our mental link. So let's get going, shall we?"

  


Blue flew the three sages and Zelda south to the Zora Domain, where Ruto–as promised–was ready and waiting for them. The Sage of Water haughtily approached the dragon and pulled herself up behind Nabooru. "I shall expect to be returned to my kingdom when the crisis in your time is averted," she informed Zelda.

  


"You will be," Zelda promised as Blue unfurled her great wings and took to the air.

  


They landed once again in a secluded area of Hyrule Field. The four sages took stations to the north, south, east, and west of Zelda, and Blue curled her body in a tight ring, surrounding them. It was rather like an ancient ritual, Zelda thought. 

  


The sages planned to join their power to aid Zelda in bringing them to the future. Zelda closed her eyes, seeking the light inside of her. The presence of the sages changed in her mind's eyes; they were no longer physical entities but wells of light tainted by their unique elements. Even Blue was a source of power that felt ancient and reserved, like the immense heat of a volcano simmering in the earth's core. Blue was neither human nor goddess, but perhaps something in between.

  


Acting on instinct rather than thought, Zelda stretched out her consciousness and touched those of the sages. She felt their power seep into her and their consciousness join with hers, and knew that they were a part of her now. Blue added her presence as well, and they all cast their thoughts toward the future in Zelda's mind and a temple deep in the forest.

* * *

  


As morning bathed the Lost Woods in golden sunlight, Saria reported that a new guest had arrived at the temple.

  


"Not you again," Link said, exasperated, as Ronin crossed the temple's threshold and stepped into the foyer, joining Link, Saria, Dagger, and Bolo. "What the hell do you want this time?"

  


"Ronin!" Dagger exclaimed, startled but grinning. "Long time no see."

  


Ronin smiled at her. "A pleasure to see you again, my dear." Link raised his eyebrows at him, and he held up his hands in an appeasing gesture. "No hard feelings, friend. I've just come to tell you that your lady is well and safe."

  


"You know where she is?" Link demanded.

  


"Not where, my friend. When."

  


Link closed his eyes, his heart sinking. "Then she did go to the past."

  


"She'll be fine," Ronin offered. "I sent my Blue to guard her."

  


Link raised his eyebrows again. "Isn't Blue an ox?"

  


"How little you know," Ronin said tragically, shaking his head. He cocked his head to one side, as if listening to something. "I think...yes. The current of the winds have changed. Only wings as large as Blue's could stir the air so."

"Meaning?" Link demanded.

  


Ronin smiled. "They're back."

  


Link, the two thieves, Saria, and Ronin darted outside the temple, scanning the cloudless sky through the canopy of leaves. Moments later Impa dashed outside with Marek and Oberon in tow. "Do you feel that?" she demanded of Saria, gasping. 

  


The Forest Sage nodded. "Our brethren have returned."

  


"Where are the others?" Dagger asked Marek as he and Oberon joined the group. 

  


"Still sleeping," Marek reported. "What's going on?"

  


"Miss Zelda went missing last night," Bolo explained. "Do you think she's back?"

  


"I have no–"

  


"Quiet," Impa said sharply. "Listen."

  


Link strained his ears. The wind was rustling through the trees, yet it was a strange, broken rustling–no, it _couldn't_ be the wind. It was _flapping, _Link realized, the flapping of a pair of very large wings. 

  


An enormous shadow swept over them and a loud, high-pitched trill split the air, echoed by a shriek from Dagger. As the long shape banked and swooped over them again, spiraling down toward the Forest Temple's clearing, sunlight glittered off of silvery-blue scales and along the sharp edges of great, bat-like wings. 

  


"Welcome home, my dear," Ronin murmured softly as a dragon landed in the clearing, bearing Zelda and the sages upon its back.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	27. Plans

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


I recently thought up an idea of what could become yet another multi-chapter Zelda serial and have been itching to start writing...but there's still this fic to write and I've got to end it before I can start any new ones (at least any long new ones). ;_; I'm feeling rather desperate because I have writer's block again, but I'll push myself through it eventually, I'm sure. But another Zelda fic may yet follow this one, so look for it at The Destined's conclusion, I suppose.

  


***

  


Chapter 27

Plans 

  


Massive confusion followed the return of Zelda and Sages of Water, Fire, Spirit, and Light. The thieves swamped Zelda once again, admonishing her for sneaking away without them. The Sages reunited joyfully and emotionally, and even Impa could be seen shedding a few tears. The dragon disappeared to be replaced by a small woman with dark hair, who leapt into Ronin's arms. Once Impa had recovered herself, she dragged Link into the sages' midst.

  


"Link," she said breathlessly, "meet my fellow sages. This is Ruto– " Link shook hands with a very regal-looking Zora. 

  


"Nabooru–" 

  


"Heya, hero," said a Gerudo with a very strong grip, grinning.

  


"Darunia–"

  


A massive demon of Goron clapped Link on the back, knocking the wind out of him.

  


"And the old geezer here is Rauru." Impa squeezed the old Sage of Light's shoulder, smiling broadly.

  


"I wouldn't talk if I were you," Rauru said dryly to Impa, "you're far older than I am." He fixed Link with a light blue, penetrating stare. "So you're the Link of this time. And you understand your task?"

  


"To protect Zelda and kill Ganondorf?" Link asked in his own dry tone. "Yes, I understand it well enough." He cast a glance in Zelda's direction just as she looked up. Their eyes met. Zelda looked at him numbly, then her eyes filled suddenly with such abject apology that Link's anger with her dissolved in an instant. He gave her a small smile, which she returned, hers full of relief.

  


"I expect he's up for the job?" Rauru was saying to Impa.

  


"He has potential," Impa replied, her crimson eyes gleaming as she stared at Link. "He and I have a bit of work to do."

  


Link grinned at her. "I look forward to it."

  


Impa then introduced the sages to Dagger, Bolo, Marek, and Oberon, and Link saw Zelda slip quietly into the temple. He waited for a few minutes, then followed inconspicuously.

  


Zelda was pacing the foyer anxiously when she entered. She turned to him and began breathlessly, "Link–"

  


Link realized she was going to apologize and found he didn't need to hear it. "It's okay," he told her seriously. "Just as long as you promise me one thing."

  


"What?" she asked apprehensively.

  


Link smiled. "Next time you decide you want to take destiny into your hands, take me with you."

  


Zelda stared at him for a moment, then broke into a wide, relieved smile. Shaking her head ruefully, she went to him and put her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "Did you have fun time-traveling?" he asked, hugging her close.

  


"Oh yes," she said dryly, chuckling a bit. "I met some rather _interesting _characters."

  


"Ah. More interesting than the ones we already know, you mean?"

  


Zelda nodded. She was silent for a few moments, then added quietly, "I met my mother."

  


Link pulled away to look at her, shocked. "You did?"__

  


"Well, sort of." Zelda glanced up at him and smiled crookedly. "I met a Sheikah who claimed to be my mother's alter-ego. It's a long story," she said apologetically when Link raised his eyebrows at her. "I'll tell you some other time. Right now we need to worry about–"

"Ganondorf?" Link suggested. "The fate of Hyrule? Damn, with the sages out of the way I thought we could finally have a vacation."

  


Zelda laughed and pulled away. "I'm glad I have you, Link," she said, sobering. "You keep me from getting too serious. And I'm really glad you're not mad at me," she admitted, looking at the floor.

  


Link shrugged. "I should be mad, but it wastes too much energy. I have to save it all for Ronin," he added wickedly, and Zelda laughed again. 

  


"Well," she said, sober once again, "that's that. We have the Sages, the Feather Man, and the Half. The pieces of the puzzle are assembling. I think it's time for us to take action."

  


"You have a plan?" he asked.

  


Zelda smiled. "I do. Involving more danger and mayhem, no less."

  


"My favorite kind," Link assured her, grinning. 

* * *

  


Zelda allowed one afternoon for everyone to rest, relax, and become acquainted or reacquainted. There were a lot of newcomers to become acquainted with. First the sages, all of whom observed Link and Zelda very closely, interested in what these Destined were like. Ronin also had a new companion.

  


"This is Blue," he informed Zelda with a smile, indicated the small woman at his side. She was wiry and strong, the grip of her tiny, claw-like hand fierce as she shook Zelda's. A cloud of dark hair curled about her small, delicately-featured face, illuminated by her enormous eyes, as blue as the deepest ocean.

  


"At least, this is her human form," Ronin explained. "I first met her looking like this."

  


"Thank you very much for your help finding the sages," Zelda said to Blue. "I truly appreciate it."

  


The woman merely shrugged. "She's quiet in her human form," Ronin explained. "But don't worry about thanks. We'll both do whatever we can to help you from now on," he added, smiling.

  


Zelda blinked at him. "Why?"

  


Ronin laughed. "Because it's fun, why else? My life has taken a far more interesting turn since the day I met you. A tyrant in power, needing to be vanquished–a lady and a hero to stand against him–an entire land to deliver–rather romantic, isn't it?"

  


Zelda shook her head. "I think you take things far too lightly, Ronin. We could all die."

  


"And you take things far too seriously," Ronin said airily. "We could all _not_ die, and you could end up as the Queen of Hyrule. Now wouldn't _that_ be fun?"

* * *

  


That evening, as dusk fell over the Lost Woods and the first twinkling stars appeared in the sky, Zelda requested that her friends and allies assemble outside of the forest temple. Pacing through the grass, she thought for a few moments, then looked at her waiting audience.

  


"It's time," she said quietly. "Time for many things, but first, I think, I owe an explanation to many of you here." She spoke particularly to her thieves, who knew only some of the details of what had happened since that fateful night in Hyrule Field. Taking a deep breath, Zelda launched into an explanation, glossing over no detail, however grim, as she recounted her and Link's audience with the goddesses, their encounter with Ganondorf, and her search for the sages. "We all know why we're here," she added at the end. "Link and I are fated to defeat Ganondorf and restore this land, but we can't do it alone. That's where all of you come in." 

  


Azura snorted. The Gerudo sat on a fallen tree trunk apart from the rest of the group, her glittering eyes fixed on Zelda. "You think this group can defeat the mast–defeat Ganondorf? The Black King has armies of monsters and men at his command. This?" She looked around at their assembled numbers disbelievingly. "This is a joke."

  


Zelda closed her eyes and counted to ten, then opened them and looked at Azura. "That's why we need to assemble more," she said as calmly as possible. "Believe me, Azura, I am as realistic about our chances as you are. As we stand, we _have _no chance. But a prophecy was told to me, from the mouth of Nayru herself. _You will have the Sages, the Feather Man, and the Half at your side. The people will come to you and accept your command. The power of the Goddesses will be yours, and you will embody the Immortal Three-Who-Are-One. When all pieces are joined together, the cycle will be fulfilled, and Balance restored."_

  


Azura raised her eyebrows. Zelda saw Rauru lean close to Impa and begin muttering in her ear.

  


"Anyone who knows me," Zelda continued, "knows that I don't like sitting around and waiting for destiny to come to me." She diverted a small smile to Link, who stood protectively by her side. "We have already assembled some of the pieces. We have the Sages–Impa, Saria, Rauru, Darunia, Ruto, and Nabooru. And me," she added as an afterthought.

  


"We have the Feather Man. For anyone to whom it's not blatantly obvious, that's Ronin. And we have the Half." Zelda met Azura's eyes. The Gerudo blinked at her.

  


"Me? I'm part of your prophecy?"

  


"You're a twin," Zelda said quietly. "With your sister you were one. Your sister is dead, and now you're half."

  


Azura's mouth set in a tight, bitter line. Zelda looked away from her. "The next part of the prophecy tells us that people will come to us, ready to ally themselves with us. I don't think many people are going to find us here in the forest. We have to go and find them."

  


Bolo raised his hand as though he were in a classroom. "How are you gonna get people to follow you, Miss Zelda?" he asked frankly. "Sorry, but you're a thief, y'know."

  


"And a queen's daughter," Dagger shot at him. "Weren't you listening?"

  


"Bolo's right," Impa said calmly. "Zelda is a thief, and a notorious one at that. She's wanted by Ganondorf. No one will take her seriously. They'll think her a laughingstock. What we need is proof that she's the real deal. That's where Rauru and I come in," she added, exchanging a crooked grin with the Sage of Light.

  


"What do you mean?" Zelda asked.

  


"Use your brain, girl," Rauru said petulantly. "Do you honestly think that your mother took no steps to ensure her daughter's future? She left birth records in my care, for one. Records that prove you are descended of the Royal Family."

  


"That's not all," said Impa. "When Ganondorf attacked the kingdom years back, the survivors of his raid fled to the nearest haven–Kakariko. It was only two decades ago that your parents died and Hyrule fell to Ganondorf. The survivors of the Hylian Kingdom still reside in Kakariko. They will be the first to swear their allegiance to you." 

  


"And not the last," Rauru added. "Thousands of people throughout Hyrule remember those golden days, and nearly everyone wants to see Ganondorf fall from power. But they will not follow you unless they are sure you can defeat Ganondorf, which means that you must spread your message throughout the land and become a strong adversary against Ganondorf and all his forces."

  


"I know that," Zelda said grimly. She was quiet for a moment, looking at those assembled before her, her closest friends and only allies. "I am prepared to take the steps necessary to build a strong offense against Ganondorf. I am prepared to declare myself as his opponent, openly if necessary. That is, if all of you are as well, because I can't do it alone."

  


"I am," Link said quietly. "I'll follow you anywhere."

  


Zelda smiled at him. "Thank you."

  


"Hear, hear!" Rauru said firmly. "Look, all of you, you thieves, you rogues, you sages–you stand in the presence of royalty! You stand in the presence of the heir to the throne of Hyrule, the _rightful _monarch! Link shall defeat Ganondorf, Zelda shall ascend the throne, and I for one shall be at their side!"

  


"Hear!" the thieves cried.

  


"Hear!" echoed the sages.

  


"You're all crazy," Azura informed them flatly.

  


"I hear it's the new fashion," Ronin said, grinning.

  


"Thank you all," Zelda said, overwhelmed by the show of support. "I'm glad I have you all on my side, because we have a lot of work ahead. And I have work for all of you."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	28. Next Step

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

I debated for a while about whether to put up this note or not. I don't want to alienate anyone, but I do want to say what I have to say because it's been bothering me for a while. Lately I've been getting reviews which are, to put it nicely, a waste of time. Examples of two reviews I received for the last chapter: "COL!" and "Ha! I have reviewed again!" To the "COL!" person–assuming you meant 'cool,' maybe it would be nice if you told me what was cool about it? I would appreciate that a lot. I know it's hard to find things to say about a chapter over and over again, but one word isn't gonna help me. If you can't find anything to praise about the story, how about criticism? I welcome criticism as much as praise, because it helps me improve the fic.

And to the "Ha!" person, do you realize your review has no relation to my story whatsoever? I mean, what was the purpose of submitting it in the first place? Is my fic that bad that it doesn't even merit a thought to its content? 

  


I really don't want to sound like a callous bitch, and believe me, I appreciate the fact that you're reading this story at all. However, I have poured nine months of my time, effort, and creative energy into this story (and it's not even done) with feedback as my only gratification. It would be really great if the feedback had a little more sustenance to it. That's all.

  


In case there's any confusion, I have no complaints at all about the majority of my reviews. Most of them are extremely gratifying and brighten my little world. So as long as I'm taking the opportunity to complain about a couple of reviews, I'd also like to thank everyone else for their feedback. I really do appreciate it. 

  


Anyway, please enjoy the chapter. This one's a bit short, but the next one is nice and long. :)

  


***

  


Chapter 28

Next Step

  


"This is what we need to do," Zelda began, pacing once more on the grass outside of the Forest Temple. "We're going to have to split up for a time–"

  


_"What?" _Rune, Marek, and Bolo cried in unison.

"Miss Zelda, no," Cleo protested. "We've _been _split up too often."

  


Zelda shook her head. "I'm sorry, but this is important. I told you I have work for all of you that I needyou to complete. Don't you see? My life is not my own, not as long as Ganondorf's still alive. I figured that out a long time ago. And if you're with me, your lives are not your own, either. If that's not agreeable with you, then you can leave."

  


There was silence.

  


"All right." Zelda took a deep breath. "Marek, Rune, and Dagger."

  


"Yes, Miss Zelda?" Dagger piped.

  


"I need all of you to go to Hylia City," Zelda said steadily, looking between the three she'd named. "You three know the city best. You know the people there, how they think, what makes them tick. I need you there as my representative, telling people that we're building a resistance against Ganondorf."

  


Dagger's mouth set in a thin line and Rune looked away, but Marek squeezed Dagger's shoulder and looked Zelda in the eye. "We'll do what we can, Miss Zelda."

  


"Look after the girls, Marek," Zelda implored, and he nodded.

  


"Azura," she continued, looking to the Gerudo. "Your people. How loyal are they to Ganondorf?"

  


Azura stared back at her in silence for a moment. At last she said, "Very loyal. They have no other choice."

  


"What if they were offered another choice? Would they abandon Ganondorf?"

  


Azura raised her eyebrows. "Some might," she said slowly. 

  


Zelda nodded. "I want you and Nabooru to go to the desert and find us what allies you can among the Gerudo. Azura," she said sharply as the Gerudo looked away, "you of all people should know you simply cannot walk up to Ganondorf and strike him dead. If you want revenge for your sister you're going to have to do things my way, at least for a little while."

  


"She's right," Nabooru told Azura. "I once served under Ganondorf's command. I know how he works. He rules by fear, and that's why his subjects will abandon him in the end. But like Zelda said, we all need to be allied if we are to stand a chance." She looked at Zelda. "Don't worry. Your Half and I will go west as soon as you need us."

  


"Right away, then," Zelda said. "Darunia?" 

  


"Your Destinedness?"

  


Ruto rolled her eyes, but Zelda smiled. "There are rumors that Gorons still live in the city in Death Mountain. There are rumors of more tribes among the mountain plains. Will you go and look for them?"

  


"Absolutely. Can I have one of your thieves with me?" Darunia requested, staring around at the group. "They know you best, all the better to represent you."

  


Zelda nodded. "Oberon? Would you mind?"

  


Oberon gave a two-fingered salute. "Not at all, Miss."

  


"No need to ask," Ruto said when Zelda looked at her. "You want me to seek out the Zora. And I know whom shall accompany me." She pointed at Parcleus. "You there."

  


Parcleus blinked at her as though stunned at being addressed by a Zora princess. "Yes? Your Grace?"

  


"Your Zora ancestors. Where did they reside?" Ruto inquired imperially.

  


"Not sure, Your Grace," Parcleus mumbled, staring at the ground, "but I think they were tribesmen of the coast."

  


"Then you and I shall search the seas, as well as the Zora Domain, for survivors," Ruto informed him. "And the proper term of address for a princess is 'Highness'."

  


"Yes, Your Highness," Parcleus said meekly.

  


Zelda cleared her throat. "Now that that's settled...I guess all that's left is the party going to Kakariko."

  


"I'm going," Bolo said immediately. "I'm not letting you out of my sight, Miss Zelda. I'll fight for you just like everyone else."

  


"As will I," Cleo added, smiling. "I was born in Kakariko, Miss Zelda, so I may be of use."

  


"Blue and I will accompany you," Ronin offered mildly, "that is, if Link doesn't mind." He grinned wickedly.

  


Link scowled at him. "Don't push me, Feather Man."

  


"And Rauru and I will come, of course," Impa concluded. 

  


Zelda nodded. "That's everyone, then. Except..." She looked at Saria, who sat in the shade of an oak tree off to the side of the clearing. "Saria? What will you do?"

  


Saria smiled. "I shall remain in the Lost Woods, for now, and gather for you what allies I can. Even the smallest of creatures can change the fate of kingdoms," she added mysteriously.

  


"Very well." Zelda looked at her friends and allies once more, aware that this might be the last time all of them were united. "Work in secret, my friends. Don't let Ganondorf catch wind of what we're up to. Find as many allies as possible. When we meet again, we will rise against the Black King." She refused to say goodbye. "We leave at dawn. Sleep well."

* * *

  


Link thought he knew where he might find Zelda, and sure enough she'd secluded herself in the courtyard off the side of the temple, away from all the others. "I don't want to have to say goodbye to anyone," she told Link, smiling rather sheepishly. "It's bad luck."

  


Link sat on the grass beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. "It isn't goodbye, anyway. Right? We'll all see each other again."

  


Zelda took a deep breath. "Right." She smiled at Link. "Though I'm glad you're coming with me."

  


"So am I," Link said quietly, threading his fingers through her hair. He looked at her for a moment, this woman he loved, for whom he would do anything. "Hey...Zelda..."

  


"What is it?" she asked, looking concerned about his sudden gravity.

  


"It's nothing, really," he said, smiling reassuringly at her. "Just...have you ever thought about the future?"

  


Zelda blinked. "Well...I suppose," she said hesitantly. "I always used to be a live-for-the-moment kind of person, I think...but with everything that's going on now, I suppose I have to think about the future," she finished wryly.

  


"Unfortunately," Link said grimly. He hesitated for a moment, then ploughed recklessly ahead. "That's not really what I meant, though. I meant...have you ever thought about _our_ future?"

  


Zelda looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "Our future," she echoed softly. "I have...a little. Have you?"

  


"A little," Link confessed with a small smile. "About what happens after Ganondorf, and all."

  


Zelda laughed a bit. "Wow. After Ganondorf. Sounds like some kind of impossible dream...how can you be sure that there'll be an 'after Ganondorf', anyway?"

  


"Well, of course I don't know it for _sure," _Link admitted. "But you have to admit, we've survived a lot since we met. We survived Hyrule Field, we survived the Sacred Realm...hell, we met Ganondorf face-to-face and got away with our lives. Ganondorf is just one more obstacle."

  


"True." Zelda smiled. "So what have you thought about?"

  


Link was silent for a few moments, toying with her fingers. "You know, when I first met you," he said at last, "I didn't think you were very pretty."

  


Zelda arched an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

  


Link ducked his head, grinning. "Sorry. Maybe I went temporarily blind or something."

  


"Uh-huh," she said dryly, jabbing him with an elbow.

  


"Still..." He was quiet for a moment. "When I caught you off-guard in the bar, and then later after the bar fight, when you laughed and hugged me–I realized how wrong I'd initially been, you were very beautiful, and that's how I still see you."

  


He paused briefly, watching her. Zelda had sobered; she was quiet, her gaze locked with his.

  


"I admire you a lot, Zelda. You're a strong person. You keep going no matter what happens. What's more, you keep everyone around you going too. The way I see you now, you're stronger and more beautiful than anyone I've ever met. I want to see you that way forever."

  


"Link," Zelda said unsteadily, "you're not...are you saying...?"

  


"I guess I am," he said quietly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "I said I'd follow you anywhere and I meant it. Not just because you're royalty, not just because you and I are Destined...but because I love you more than anything. And I want to be at your side for the rest of our lives, however short or long that may be."

  


"Link," Zelda said softly, but he shook his head to silence her.

  


"I'll ask you when it's all over," he whispered. "When we've defeated Ganondorf."

  


Zelda looked at him in silence for a long moment. Then she smiled. "I'll be waiting."

* * *

  


The next morning dawned bright and cool. They met one last time before the Forest Temple–the thieves, the sages, the rogues, and the Destined–for their farewells. Zelda hugged all of her thieves and refused to say a word of parting.

  


"We'll be meeting again soon," she said firmly.

  


The sages promised to stay in touch through their connection. "Don't worry," Nabooru told Zelda, squeezing her shoulder, "you're one of us now. If we're in trouble, you'll be the first to know it."

  


_But we won't get into trouble, _Darunia added in a voice that rang through Zelda's mind. She looked at him, startled, and smiled.

  


_No, _she answered silently, _I'm sure you won't._

  


They parted shortly after dawn–Nabooru and Azura to the west, Marek, Dagger, and Rune to the south, Ruto and Parcleus to the coast, Darunia and Oberon to the mountains, and the rest north to Kakariko.

  


"So long," Zelda whispered as they set to their course. "See you all again soon."

* * *

  


To be continued.


	29. Kakariko Town

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


I was asked in last chapter's reviews how long this story was going to be. At this point I can give an educated guess, as the end of the story is in sight. I'm currently on Chapter 34, and I estimate writing about six or seven more chapters. So there will probably be around forty chapters when all's said and done. Of course that's just my best estimate as of now and is subject to change.

  


Also, please see the section following Chapter 29 for more answers to reader questions. Enjoy!

  


***

  


Chapter 29

Kakariko Town

  


It felt wonderful to be on the road again, Zelda reflected as she stretched beneath the morning sun. After about an hour of wandering through the forest, they'd finally broken through the canopy of trees and found the road that wound north through the Death Mountain Plains to Kakariko Town. Now that she was finally taking action instead of remaining cooped inside the Forest Temple, now that she was outdoors under the sun, breathing fresh air, Zelda could hardly bring herself to worry about Ganondorf and the future. 

  


What did she have to worry about, really? So an evil tyrant was after her blood, but she had her friends and allies at her side. She had the power of the goddesses buried inside of her. And she had Link, who was going to marry her–_marry_ her, Zelda thought happily, for she was sure that was what Link had been talking about last night. It was a strange thought, scary and thrilling and happy all at once.

  


Uncommonly optimistic, Zelda led the way for their party as they made their way along the winding path. Link was mounted on Demon, who was unusually frisky–Zelda wasn't the only one who was glad to be on the road again. Bolo, Cleo, and Ronin followed after Link on foot. Blue was with them as well; she had changed herself into a fierce-eyed golden eagle and perched on Ronin's shoulder. Bringing up the rear were Impa and Rauru.

  


They decided not to stop for lunch, wanting to make it to Kakariko by sundown, and instead ate their small supply of food as they walked. Impa appeared at Zelda's side, handing her a tart, wrinkled cran-apple. 

  


"I need to talk to you," the Sheikah said quietly. 

  


Zelda looked at her in surprise. "About what?" she mumbled around a mouthful of apple.

  


Impa jerked her head toward the back of the group and gave her a meaningful look. Zelda finished off the cran-apple in a few quick bites and fell back with Impa, away from the others.

  


"I need to talk to you about Link," Impa said seriously when they were well out of the others' earshot.

  


Zelda stared at her. "What about him?"

  


Impa looked away from a moment, biting her lower lip as if trying to think of exactly how to phrase what she needed to say. "Do you know why your mother never married?" she asked at last.

Zelda blinked and shook her head. "No."

  


"It's because she was a queen," Impa explained. "Because after her father's death, she was the sole heir of the Hylian throne, just as you are now. Things are always difficult for women in power. Oftentimes they're forced to choose between their personal gain and what's best for all. The good ones will make those choices, as hard as they may be. Your mother was a good one.

  


"She knew that if she married she would have to concede power to her husband. It's one of the unwritten laws of royalty. Everyone looks to the man first and the woman second. Her subjects would automatically follow her husband's rule, not hers. Your mother knew this, and that's why she never married." Impa met Zelda's eyes. "Your mother once told me that if she ever found a man who she felt could rule her kingdom better than she could, she would marry him and concede power immediately. It didn't matter to her that it wouldn't be a marriage of love. She wasn't looking out for her own good, but for the good of all.

  


"There was only one man your mother ever loved, but he was no ruler. Your mother had what it took to rule a kingdom, but he did not. You, I think, have what it takes to rule a kingdom," Impa said quietly. "But the man you love does not."

A burden as heavy as the stones of Death Mountain settled in Zelda's heart. "You're saying I shouldn't marry Link."

  


"I'm saying you should end things with him," Impa said flatly. "It will only cause trouble. When the war with Ganondorf was at its peak and it became apparent that your mother was pregnant with a consort's child, respect and awe of her diminished, and in the lowest places of Hyrule she was called a harlot."

  


"They never!" Zelda flared indignantly.

  


"Your mother's friends dissuaded that kind of talk quickly enough," Impa said grimly. "But the damage was already done. No one asks men to surrender private lives and relationships when they ascend to positions of power. It's different for women. Society expects a respectable woman to marry and follow her husband. Those who don't are thieves or prostitutes or rogues–or queens," she added wryly. "It's not fair, but little in life is."

  


"I didn't ask for this," Zelda told Impa, suddenly angry. "I never asked to be born a queen's daughter."

  


"Zelda, you are a queen in your own right already," Impa said calmly. "And I know you didn't ask for it, but you said it yourself–_your life is not your own. _It belongs to our cause, to our efforts to defeat Ganondorf. And should that cause succeed, your life will belong to all of Hyrule, for it will be your duty to usher in an age of peace and prosperity for this land. Of course you didn't ask for this. Who would? But it's your fate, Zelda."

  


Impa sighed. "I can't tell you what to do. You're capable of making your own choices. But I would advise you–strongly–to end things with Link now, before they get too serious."

  


"Things are already serious, Impa," Zelda said quietly. "And I'm not a queen yet–at least not officially. So if I have to end our relationship eventually, I intend to make the best of it while it lasts."

* * *

  


They made good time and arrived in Kakariko just as the sun was beginning to sink toward the horizon. Zelda paused momentarily to survey the town nestled at the foot of Death Mountain. This was where it would really begin.

  


"What should we do?" Link asked quietly, sliding off of Demon and standing at her shoulder.

  


"I don't know yet," Zelda admitted. "Let's just settle in for the night. We can figure out a plan for tomorrow."

  


They went to an inn for food and lodgings. Impa had advised Zelda to keep a low profile, but she wanted to be among the people of Kakariko. Once she had robbed this town and pickpocketed its people blind. Now she had to convince these very same people that she was royalty, and capable of bringing down Ganondorf.

  


She mused this over as she went to the tavern below the inn with her friends. "Don't look so serious," Link advised as he plunked a tankard of something down in front of her. "You don't recognize this place?"

  


Zelda blinked at him. "No. Why?"

  


Link grinned and took a sip from his own tankard. "This is where we met."

  


Looking around in astonishment, Zelda realized he was right. She looked at him again, and for a moment was tempted to share what Impa had told her. But no. She was here now, in this moment. If it was all going to be over soon, one way or another, she may as well live now.

  


"Cheers," she replied, grinning, as she raised her tankard in a toast and took a swig. Then she tasted the beverage and nearly choked. "Hey, this is liquor! You know I don't drink. It impairs your concentration and movement–"

  


"But you're not here as a thief," Ronin interrupted, plopping down in a chair at their table. He smiled when Link scowled at him, raising his own tankard. "Let's be friendly, aye? For one night at least."

  


Link sighed. "Fine. I suppose I have to get used to you anyway."

  


"Where's Blue?" Bolo wanted to know as he and Cleo joined them.

  


"Up there." Ronin pointed at the rafters. They all glanced up to see a crow hopping across the wooden beams, ruffling its feathers and staring down at them. "Why don't you come down, love?" Ronin called to her. The crow gave a loud squawk, fluttered down, landed on Ronin's shoulder, and began preening his hair.

  


"Cute," Cleo laughed, blushing and giggling as though she'd drunk too much already.

  


"Bolo, is that liquor?" Zelda demanded, noticing the tankard in her youngest thief's hand.

  


Bolo made a face. "That stuff is terrible," he commented. "It's just water, see?"

  


Impa and Rauru finally appeared with an enormous platter of food. "Dig in," Rauru advised. Blue immediately hopped off of Ronin's shoulder and attacked the meat, ignoring the protests of her human companions. They ordered more food and ate their fill, then played a game of dice at the table. They talked and laughed, got into shouting matches with tavern drunkards, and drank. Zelda got more drunk than she ever had in her life and collapsed on Link's shoulder, Cleo repeatedly fell out of her chair and had to be hauled back up by Bolo, Blue entertained them by changing shapes every few minutes, and Impa and Rauru drank and laughed like a pair of adolescents.

  


It was very late, and they were very drunk, by the time they finally staggered to the rooms upstairs. Hours later Zelda woke with a headache the size of Death Mountain and a terrible nausea. But she was happy, because she was alive and she was living.

* * *

  


Late the next morning found Zelda seated in the tavern again, nursing a strong cup of tea and the worst hangover of her life. As a thief she'd hardly ever drunk, unless her spoils were worth celebrating, and then only one or two mouthfuls. She didn't even remember how much liquor she'd had the previous night.

  


Cleo came to join her with a bowl of light broth, looking as awful as Zelda felt. Her face was pale and haggard and there were dark circles ringing her normally bright green eyes. "Morning, Miss Zelda," the woman muttered as she placed her broth down on the table and dropped into a chair, holding her face in her hands.

  


"Here." Zelda shoved her tea toward Cleo. "It seems to be helping a bit." Which was true enough–the thunderous pounding in her head had receded to a dull thud and her nausea was gone.

  


"Thanks," Cleo said wearily, taking a mouthful. Her eyes found something behind Zelda and she sipped again, slowly. "That old guy is staring at you, Miss Zelda."

  


Zelda glanced around surreptitiously. A man seated in a corner of the bar was openly watching her as he drained a large tankard. From a distance Zelda could see that he was black-skinned, built large and tall, with well-muscled limbs and very broad shoulders. He slumped in his chair, clutching the tankard in an enormous fist. There was something familiar about him.

  


Zelda blinked and looked at Cleo again. "Do you recognize him, Cleo?"

  


Cleo shook her head. "You don't think he's an agent of Ganondorf, do you?" she asked anxiously.

  


Zelda knew she ought to be worried, but somehow she wasn't. She stole another look at the man, too curious for caution. As she watched him, he gravely raised his tankard to her in an unmistakable toast. 

  


"I'm going to go find out who he is," she declared abruptly, standing.

  


"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Cleo fretted, but Zelda was already gone, winding through the tables toward the corner where the man sat.

  


He watched her quietly as she approached, taking another gulp from his tankard. Zelda halted before him. Up close she could see that his face, although marked with age, was handsome, even with the jagged scar that sliced through his missing right eye. He had a long nose, full lips, and a strong jaw; his good eye was a pale, sharp brown. He was bald as an egg on the top of his head. An unshaven shadow at his jaw and his frayed shirt and breeches lent an air of disrepute, yet he was obviously in good shape with a large, sturdy body that was nearly all hard muscle. He looked to be around sixty.

Zelda's sense of recognition increased tenfold as she scrutinized him. He returned the attention, then raised his tankard again and said in a deep, gravelly voice, "Join me in a drink, won't you?"

  


"No, thank you," she said politely, her curiosity piqued. "I drank far too much last night."

  


He nodded in understanding and took a great gulp. "Maybe I don't hold my liquor s'well as I used to, if I'm seeing ghosts," he mumbled, staring down into the tankard.

  


Zelda blinked. "Ghosts?"

  


"You'd be one, then," the old man said politely, nodding.

  


"I'm not a ghost," Zelda told him, perplexed.

  


His good eye found her again, wandering over her face. He gave a low, raspy chuckle. "Heh heh. You're a ghost or I'm a mewing kitten, 'cause you're her spitting image, and she died some twenty years ago."

  


It struck her then like a hammer, and Zelda stared in amazement at the man she knew only from the collective memories that Saria had shared. "Valan," she whispered, staring at the man who was once her mother's war general.

  


Valan nodded again, taking a swig from his tankard. "Your Majesty. See? I know a ghost when I see one."

  


He thought she was her dead mother. Zelda could feel another headache coming on. "May I?" she asked, pointing to the chair beside Valan. He dragged it out for her, and she sat.

  


"You were once a general," she stated, thinking she might as well have her facts straight. "You commanded the armies of Hyrule against Ganondorf. Am I right?"

  


"'Course," Valan said in a raspy voice.

  


Zelda felt a stirring of pity. This man had once been young for a commander, perhaps only in his twenties in her mother's time–yet in twenty years, he'd aged forty. "What happened to you?"

  


The man shrugged his broad shoulders. "We couldn't stop him, Your Majesty. All those young boys, those soldiers, sent to their deaths..." He stared moodily at his liquor, and added hoarsely, "You too."

  


"I think you've had enough to drink, Valan," Zelda said firmly, taking his tankard and giving it to a passing server. 

  


"Aye," he agreed, "seeing spirits is proof enough of that."

  


"I'm not a spirit, Valan."

  


He looked at her. "Teasing a poor old man, Your Majesty? I never knew you as the kind to kid around."

  


"Valan," Zelda began, "when my mo–when your queen fled to Kakariko, did you go with her?"

  


Valan nodded. "Along with the other survivors," he mumbled. "I've been here ever since."

  


"Then you know, don't you, that your queen had a daughter while she was here?"

  


Valan looked at her again, his good eye dark and shadowed. "So she did," he said slowly.

  


Zelda held his gaze levelly. "I am that daughter."

  


The silence between them stretched for several long moments. Valan's throat worked, but no sound came out. He seemed beyond words.

  


"Her _daughter?" _he rasped at last, his good eye wide and bloodshot as he stared at her. "Nayru defend me."

  


"I know it's hard to believe–" Zelda began.

  


Valan reached a hand across the distance between them, and she fell silent. The tips of his blunt fingers brushed her cheek–then he jerked his hand back as if he'd been scalded and stood so quickly that his chair fell over with a loud clatter.

  


"No," he muttered, shaking his head. "No more ghosts. I've seen too many already." He made his escape, shouldering rudely through the tavern's growing crowd, but Zelda leapt to her feet and snaked after him.

  


"Wait!" she cried, grabbing his arm and hanging on with all her strength to stop him. "I need your help!"

"No, miss," he said emphatically, trying to pull his arm free, but Zelda held fast.

  


"You have to listen to me," she said as low and fast as possible. "My name is Zelda, and I am the daughter of the queen you once served. I'm in this town to find the survivors of the lost Hylian kingdom and unite the people of Hyrule in a war against Ganondorf, but to do that I need help."

  


"I told you–" Valan began harshly. 

  


"You are not seeing ghosts, General Valan!" Zelda said sharply.

  


Valan whirled on her. "DO NOT ADDRESS ME BY THAT TITLE!" he roared a thunderous din that silenced all chatter in the tavern. "I AM NO GENERAL!" 

  


"OH YES YOU ARE!" Zelda bellowed just as furiously, refusing to be quelled. Valan blinked down at her, momentarily silenced, as if shocked that a woman as small as her could make such a loud noise. "I am desperate for aid," she continued in a voice that was lower but just as sharp. "You are the man who once commanded all of Hyrule against Ganondorf. You are _exactly _the kind of help I need, and I will not allow you to walk away from me, _do you understand?"_

  


Valan stared at her as silence rang throughout the tavern. Then he turned sharply, making as if to leave–and abruptly halted.Zelda looked around him to see Link, Impa, and Rauru blocking his path.

  


"You heard her," Link said quietly, though his eyes were burning like blue fire. "That woman is your queen, and you are bound to serve her."

* * *

  


To be continued.

* * *

  


_The Destined _Q & A Session

  


So in last chapter's reviews I got a bunch of general, answerable questions about TD, so I'll take some time to answer them now. If I don't quite give a straight answer, it's probably because it will be revealed later in the story, and to answer it now would be to give spoilers.

  


Q: What are Link's true origins in this story?

  


A: Link was born in a small farming town southwest of what was once the Hylian Castle Town. His father was killed because he offended one of Ganondorf's agents before Link was born; his mother died giving birth. He knows nothing about his parents other than that they were Hylian. He was taken in by the midwife, then during his preteen-adolescent years he apprenticed to both the carpenter and the blacksmith in the village. Prompted by the callings of fate, he left the village at sixteen and wandered Hyrule for a year and a half before meeting Zelda in Kakariko.

  


Q: Is the Link in this story the child of Farore?

A: No, at least not literally. Farore called him her son in Chapter 15 because she is the mother of all the peoples of Hyrule; she originally created them.

  


Q: Does Link have a power of his own or is he just a stooge to protect Zelda?

  


A: Well, he does have his own Triforce and he is supposed to defeat Ganondorf, or at least die trying, so yes, he certainly has his own powers and purposes. The reason so much emphasis is placed on protecting Zelda is because she is all Hyrule has as far as a rightful monarch goes; defeating Ganondorf and then leaving it at that after two decades of dictatorship does not help anyone. 

  


Q: When is Link going to awaken the Triforce of Courage?

  


A: Hrm...um...maybe...keep reading? :)

  


Q: Is Link going to be able to stay with Zelda or will he be sacrificed like Zelda's father was?

  


A: Maybe we'll find out someday. ;) 

Q: What is the true power of the Master Sword other than slaying Ganondorf?

  


A: You just named it. It's the only sword that can kill Ganny-poo.

  


Q: How can they possibly defeat Ganondorf if he had thousands of monsters at his command years ago?

  


A: Well, he still has a good number of monsters at his command. Less than he did twenty years ago, because he's grown complacent and lax, but still enough. They know perfectly well what they're up against; that's why Zelda has sent her people all across Hyrule to gather as many allies for their side as they can.

  


Q: If the temples of Hyrule are holy and no one with evil thoughts can enter them, then how did all of the monsters and phantoms get into the various temples in the first place?

  


A: The holy wards on the temples were set in place after Link purged them in OoT.

  


Q: Is Ronin a reference to the wandering and masterless samurai of Feudal Japan?

  


A: Well he is wandering and he is masterless, so yes.


	30. General Valan's Challenge

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

It's 3 am on a Saturday night, whee. I love weekends when I can afford to stay up this late, though I will regret it on Monday.

I want to say thank you to SoulessCalibur for his/her kind review inquiring as to how I was doing...I am a bit more cheery now, and I thank you for the concern. If anyone saw my bio last time (I do little blog-esque entries every time I upload a new chapter) you would have seen my whining about not being able to sleep...but yeah. Better now.

More answered questions below this chappie. Enjoy!

***

Chapter 30

General Valan's Challenge__

"Look, I can't help you," Valan said for the fifth time that morning. In the interest of extending the hand of friendship Zelda had bought him another drink, and drawn him into a conference with herself, Link, Impa, and Rauru back at his table in the corner. "It's been twenty years since I've even picked up a weapon."

"Right," Zelda said skeptically, looking him over.

Valan grimaced. "All right, so that's not quite true. That still doesn't mean I can be your general."

"What's holding you back?" Link demanded. "Don't you want to see Ganondorf fall?"

Valan looked at him, and a tight, bitter smile appeared on his face. "Do you know how the Link who came before you died, boy?"

Link stiffened, glancing at Zelda furtively. "No."

"Ganondorf decapitated him," Valan said bluntly. "Then he chopped his body limb from limb and sent him in pieces to Her Majesty. Thank the goddesses she had already moved on, gone west to the desert to seek her revenge." He took a swig of his drink, oblivious to the bloodless faces of his companions. "Of course, none of us knew that at the time. We found out what happened only after he sent _her _back in pieces."

Link looked slightly sick. 

"He's a monster," Zelda whispered.

"Damn right he is," Valan said grimly. "And he'll do worse to the pair of you, given the chance. I'll give you a good piece of solid advice. Give up now, before he can get his hands on you."

"He already has," Zelda said calmly, meeting Valan's astonished gaze. "Link and I met him face-to-face. He nearly killed us both, but we escaped with our lives."

"Next time, we won't escape," Link said. "Not until he's dead."

"Or us," Zelda added grimly.

Valan shook his head. "You're both outta your minds."

"What happened to you, Valan?" Impa demanded sharply. "I remember once you weren't such a coward."

Valan turned to her, eyes blazing. "Coward, am I? Call me a coward then, you who deserted Kakariko and the Hylians! You never saw your friends hung in the town square for no better reason than to make an example, or knew it was you responsible for sending thousands of soldiers to their deaths–"

"Oh, go bleed your heart out," Rauru interjected crossly, thumping a fist on the table. "Now you listen here, Valan. From what she tells me–" he waved a hand at Impa, "–apparently I die in a most horrible and unpleasant way shortly after Ganondorf's takeover. Wouldn't miss it for the world," he added with a toothy smile, ignoring Valan's dumbfounded stare, "but that'll have to wait, because I'm here in this time to help these fine young folks, and because whining and moaning is a damn waste of time. Now you can sit here and drink and gloom and cry about those lost glory days, or you can get off your sorry bum and help bring those days back! You sorry about the soldiers you sent to their deaths? Then avenge them!"

"Rauru has a point," said Impa, her lips twitching as if she were trying not to laugh. "You have a rare second chance here, Valan. Last time you warred with Ganondorf, your side was fated to lose. Nothing could have avoided that. This time is different."

"This time we're fated to win?" Valan demanded. "Is that it?"

Zelda exchanged a glance with Link. "We might win," she said evenly. "We might not. But there's always a chance, right?"

Valan's good eye scrutinized Zelda, and for a moment it seemed as though they had convinced him. Then he shook his head. "No good." He nodded to Link. "Look at that boy. He's green. He can't fight Ganondorf. He couldn't even beat me, or I'm a crowing cucco."

"Is that a challenge?" All of them turned to Link. He was watching Valan closely, but his expression was not one of anger–rather, calculation.

Valan looked at him too, his eyebrows raising. "You gonna take me on, boy?" he asked slowly.

Link met his gaze, a small smile on his face. "I won't just take you on, Valan. I'll beat you. And who knows? Maybe you'll believe that I have what it takes to defeat Ganondorf after all."

Valan let out a harsh bark of laughter. "All right, boy, I'll take you. I've been itching to hold a weapon again, maybe you can put up a good fight for at least a few minutes, whaddya say?"

"I have a condition." Valan raised his eyebrows again, and the smile on Link's face broadened. "I beat you, you swear your allegiance to her–" Link nodded toward Zelda, "–and command whatever forces we assemble against Ganondorf's armies."

"Fine." Valan's voice was icy now. "I beat you, you stop this ridiculous goose chase and leave me the hell in peace. And you give it up with Ganondorf. Because if you can't beat me, boy," he added, baring his teeth savagely, "you will never, ever beat him."

"Link–" Zelda began, not liking the way this discussion was going at all, but Impa grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Let them fight," she hissed in Zelda's ear. "Accept Valan's terms. You said yourself that you were willing to risk everything for our cause. Whether by the goddesses or Valan himself, I don't know, but this is a test of that resolve. If you truly believe you can defeat Ganondorf, now is the time to show it."

She was right. Zelda bit her lip, looking at Link's pale but set face. He was willing to fight for her no matter what the stakes. She believed in him. He would win.

The two men looked at her for her decision, and Zelda nodded. "Agreed," she said shortly. "Link and Valan will fight for the set terms at noon today."

"In the town square," Rauru added wickedly, "right where everyone can see 'em." 

* * *

Link spent the rest of the morning warming up for the fight with Valan in a small, secluded courtyard behind the inn. _Maybe I should have thought this over a bit more carefully, _he thought, distressed to realize how long it had been since he'd held the Master Sword. By the time he'd gone through a few exercises, though, his skill with the weapon had returned and he felt he had a fair chance of beating Valan.

He just wished the chance could be more than fair, as he glanced to his left and saw Zelda standing in the shade of the inn, watching him gravely. For her, he had to win. Far from having no general, they would be honor-bound to end their campaign against Ganondorf. _The goddesses won't be too happy about that, _he thought grimly, chopping down in a vertical cut.

Link cursed silently. While the headache and vertigo of his hangover had dissipated as the morning wore on, he was a touch slower than he would normally be, and against an opponent like Valan speed was his only advantage. Valan was taller, stronger, and heavier, and if his muscles were any indication, he knew how to fight. The only hope Link had was being faster, only today he wasn't at his best.

_I really should have thought this over more carefully._

Link realized suddenly that someone else had come to watch–a small, dark-haired woman standing behind the fence that ringed the courtyard, staring at him with something akin to voracious hunger. It was Blue, Ronin's shapeshifting friend. As Link paused to watch her, she put her hands on the fence, vaulted over with a fluid, inhuman grace, and began to walk toward him.

With each step she took her shape changed–she became taller and thicker, her skin turning a sickly green and cracking into a coat of scales. Her nose and mouth lengthened until they became a snout; her lips stretched in a snarl, revealing jagged teeth. Her arms became short and stubby, ending in wickedly curved talons. She balanced on powerful hind legs, whipping a long tail back and forth.

Link stared into her eyes, now a gleaming yellow. He had seen a creature like her only once in his life, the first time he had entered Hyrule Field. She was a lizard-demon; Link was pretty sure the proper name for her kind was Lizalfo.

The lizard that Blue had become hissed at him, forked tongue darting out to taste the air. Then, without warning, she attacked. 

She was fast, far faster than most enemies he encountered, almost as fast as Impa. She swiped at him furiously, using her talons as weapons. Link managed to barely defend against her strikes, wondering where this unprovoked onslaught had come from–then he realized–it was as though she had read his mind; she knew exactly what he needed: an opponent to practice with, one who was as fast as he could be.

Link smiled thinly and began to return her assault in earnest.

* * *

As the Sage of Light predicted, there were a great many people in the town square when Link, Zelda, Impa, and Rauru gathered at noon. Link recognized a few faces from the tavern and knew that people must have overheard their dispute and come to see it resolved. Recognizing that a fight was about to take place, the crowd thinned from the broad, open square, milling about its edges instead. In these times, when a great many disputes were resolved with fists rather than words, the townspeople knew a spar when they saw one.

Yet, as Impa had extensively lectured Link, this fight was entirely necessary for more than one reason. The most obvious purpose, of course, was to secure for their side a man with leadership experience in military affairs. But it was also, as Impa had expressed quite clearly, a chance to make their intentions public and inform the people of this town of the resistance against Ganondorf. It fell to Link to defeat Valan and ensure the old general's public declaration of loyalty to Zelda.

"So no pressure," Zelda had joked on the way to the town square.

Now Link stood at the edge of the square with the Master Sword in hand, apart from the others, quietly awaiting Valan. Impa and Rauru were chatting with Ronin, Blue, Bolo, and Cleo, who had apparently caught wind of the fight and come to watch. Zelda sat on the cobblestones and stared before her without saying a word to anyone; she looked to be deeply in thought.

"Afternoon," a voice growled. 

Link turned and looked up, and up, and up, into Valan's grizzled face. The old man was formidable enough while drinking in the bar. Now, barefoot, wearing nothing but a pair of light cotton breeches and carrying over his shoulders a single-edged broadsword that was taller than Zelda, he looked much less like a haunted old general than a sun-drenched war god. 

Link swallowed hard, sweating. A single thought came.

_I'm in for it now._

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

_The Destined_ Q & A Section Continued

Cliffhangers...heheh...I love 'em. ::cough:: Anyway...

Q: First, was it Zelda (the one in this chapter) who met Link there in that town, or the one in the beginning of the story? You see, you said the first Zelda gave birth to the present Zelda, but Link and Zelda keep saying things to each other about what happened to the past Zelda. See? It's confusing.

Yeah, it is confusing when you put it in those terms. x.x 3 am is not a good time to try sorting this out, but I'll give it a go. Yes, the Zelda is this chapter is the one who met Link in Kakariko back in Chapter 2. It's always been the same Zelda. The other one that they keep referring to is Zelda's deceased mother, also named Zelda. Um...is this still confusing? 

All right, let me detail the timeline of this story and its relation to Ocarina of Time, since I won't have another chance to explain this in full.

Ocarina of Time: We have a Zelda. We have a Link. Link saves the world, yay. Zelda sends him back in time. They all grow up again. Zelda's father dies and she becomes the queen of Hyrule. When she and Link are about thirty, Ganny escapes the void in the Sacred Realm and is still Evil. He begins taking over Hyrule bit by bit. Zelda sends her kingdom to war against him but is destined to lose. She and Link have an affair (see Chapter 16). She gets pregnant. Link goes off to war and is killed by Ganondorf. Zelda follows him into death, leaving her daughter in Impa's care (again, see Chapter 16). Impa names the daughter Zelda.

A couple of decades pass as Ganny solidifies his rule over Hyrule. Zelda Junior grows up under Impa's care and becomes a thief. Enter Link. _The Destined _begins.

Does this clear things up a bit? You tell me.


	31. The Awakening

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

Well, I'm glad the last Q&A session cleared things up, seemed a lot of readers were confused about some things. I'm aware that there are minor inconsistencies and continuity errors in this fic, as is inevitable in any serial, I think... Someday I'm going to go back and rewrite this story entirely so that it has nothing to do with Zelda (but preserving the original plot and characters) and hopefully get it published. So if you ever read a book that sounds a lot like _The Destined,_ you'll know why...unless someone rips me off.

***

Chapter 31

The Awakening

Link scrutinized his opponent surreptitiously as they both limbered for the coming fight, trying to ignore the mutters from watching townspeople at the edges of the square. They thought he didn't have a chance, and after seeing the massive hunk of metal Valan called a sword, Link was inclined to agree with them. Most of his audience didn't know it, but this fight was worth far more than a stupid dispute, and he was about to lose it.

He felt a touch on his shoulder–Zelda. She had come to wish him good luck. Reaching up, she pulled the green cap off his head and tugged his golden hair free of its short ponytail. "What're you doing?" he asked her. 

She shrugged, a mischievous smile touching her lips. "Valan's made an impression, why shouldn't you?" she asked, mussing his hair with her fingers. "There, now you look a bit more wild."

Link bit back a laugh, wondering how she could joke at a time like this but appreciating it all the same. "Shall I rip my shirt off and roar like a lion?" he inquired, and Zelda snorted with laughter.

"If you think it'll help," she said, grinning up at him.

Link realized suddenly that she wasn't nervous. She had measured him against Valan and believed with inspiring certainty that he would win.

Link smiled at her. "Thank you."

She leaned up on her toes and kissed him swiftly on the mouth, then drew away and went to the center of the square. The whispers and mutters of the townspeople began to dissipate as they sensed that the fight was about to start.

"The fight between Link and Valan will now commence," Zelda said in a voice that was not raised yet carried easily over the watching crowd. She stood dead center in the town square, back straight and chin lifted, staring slowly about the townspeople at the edges of the square. Someone must have given her lessons in how to act like royalty, Link thought as he watched her. "The terms are as follows. They shall fight until one incapacitates the other by separation from sword, injury, or death." Link thought he saw her give a compulsive shudder, but her voice was quite calm. "Should Valan win, I and my companions shall abandon our cause and leave him in peace. Should Link win, Valan will swear his allegiance to me and join the resistance against Ganondorf."

Chatter broke out in the crowd, like the buzzing of angry bees. People were craning over one another's shoulders to get a better look, pointing at Zelda, Link, and their companions, and turning to their neighbors to openly exclaim, "Did she say Ganondorf?...Did you hear what she called him?..._Link, she called him!"_

Valan scowled at Link as Zelda retreated from the square. "All part of your plan, this?" he demanded gruffly.

Link smiled broadly. "Actually, yes."

"Well, I'm afraid your plan is doomed to fail," Valan growled, extending his enormous broadsword full-length. "Just like you."

"We'll see." Link crossed swords with Valan's.

Instantly Valan moved his sword back and swung it about in a wide horizontal arc, but Link, dodging easily under it, realized something amazing–as strong as Valan may be, his massive sword was dead weight.

And he, Link, was faster.

Taking a breath that felt like the first, shuddering gasp of a newborn child, Link attacked. He darted beneath the broadsword's second strike and thrust the Master Sword toward Valan's hard belly, but the man skipped away with a speed that belied his size and age and brought the broadsword to bear against Link's follow-up strike. The screech of metal on metal echoed through the square and the opponents broke apart. 

For the next few moments they circled, each man searching for an opening in the other's defense. Link took quick stock of the situation once more. Valan's sword was formidable, but slowed the old general down. On the other hand, it was so large that it easily covered Valan with very little movement. A weapon like his was both sword and shield, and Link's only hope was finding a way around it.

_Right, _Link thought grimly, and feinted. The broadsword followed his movements–as he'd hoped–and he changed direction lightning-fast, striking toward Valan's unprotected left side. But Valan pivoted out of the way at the last second–Link stumbled, off-balance, and Valan's foot struck his ribs like a hammer.

The breath exploded from his body; a loud snap accompanied by an excruciating bolt of pain told him a rib had cracked. 

"FOUL!" the audience screamed, as though a single, furious entity. But they were wrong, Link thought dazedly, gasping at the pain in his ribs as he staggered out of range of that accursed sword. No one had thought to limit the fighting to swords, which put Link at yet another disadvantage. Goddesses above, the man was stronger than a bull.

Valan's laughter roared in his ears. "Hah! You'll have to get up earlier than that to touch me, boy!"__

Link shook his head to clear it and tried to ignore the stabbing pains in his ribs. _Focus, _he told himself furiously. _You've got to win this._

He didn't want to kill Valan, and injuring him would be pointless as well. He had to find a way to get that sword out of Valan's hands. 

He leapt forward just as Valan swung the sword over his head and down in a sweeping arc, and realized too late that he couldn't dodge this attack–he skidded to a stop before Valan and brought the Master Sword up over his head just as Valan's broadsword descended–the two swords struck with a thunderous clang and locked together.

_Dammit, _Link thought, sweating, as he desperately strained to hold Valan's sword at bay with his. It was the same move Impa had used the first time he fought her, only now he was facing an opponent about five times stronger. His arms shook with the effort of holding up Valan's sword, but the general was pressing down with all of his strength.

"Give up, boy," Valan whispered, his dark face shining with sweat. "Give up now and I'll let you live."

"That's not an option," Link said grimly as the weapons inched closer to the top of his head. He wondered, feeling oddly calm and detached, what would happen when he was no longer able to hold back Valan's sword. Would that massive broadsword simply cleave him in two?

He was aware of absolute silence from the watching crowd. No sound was heard but the protesting creaks from both of their blades. Link felt his own sword bite into his scalp just above the hairline; blood trickled down his forehead.

_I have got to win this,_ Link thought grimly as his arms shook even harder and blood ran into his unblinking eyes. _I _must_ win!_

And suddenly he heard a voice inside of his own mind–an unbearably clear, pure voice, singing in unearthly harmony. He had heard this divinely beautiful music before. It was the song of the goddesses.

To Link's amazement strength and energy surged suddenly through his body–instinctively he thrust the Master Sword upward in a burst of strength and Valan staggered back, caught off-balance. Link stared at the sword in his hands, whose blade was glowing so brightly it threw the entire clearing into relief, even in the middle of day.

Valan charged him with an almighty roar, whipping his broadsword around as if to slice straight through Link's middle–but possessed with this newfound energy and driven by instinct, he stepped forward and struck. His blade met Valan's with a thundering clang like the strike of a gong and the broadsword was cleaved neatly in two, the severed half crashing to the cobblestones.

For a moment it seemed as though time froze. Valan stared, dumbfounded, at his broken sword, the severed edge blackened and smoking. Then the handle slipped from his hands, and the defeated blade fell.

With the sword's fall the tension in the town square was broken; the townspeople exploded into wild screaming and applauding. They were cheering for him, Link thought dazedly, blinking blood from his eyes. Two great thuds nearly knocked him over as Zelda and Cleo slammed into him, hugging him so tightly that he almost fainted from the pain in his injured ribs. Luckily both women let go right away. "Sorry!" Zelda cried, clasping her hands to her mouth. Link realized that her face was as white as a sheet, and that Cleo was crying.

"We thought you were going to die!" sobbed the red-haired thief.

"I'm all right," Link told them, bewildered, and the two women slid their arms beneath his shoulders to help him back toward the edge of the square, where Impa, Rauru, Ronin, and Blue (in the form of a madly twittering sparrow) waited.

The crowd pressed on them eagerly, many hands slapping Link's back in congratulations. "Back off there!" Rauru and Impa were ordering, pushing against the wave of townspeople. Zelda grinned up at Link, her face now flushed with excitement.

"You're a hero, Link! And they don't even know you!"

"Oh good," Link gasped as he slid from Zelda and Cleo's hold to the cobblestones. "I'm all right, just my ribs..."

"You there!" Impa snapped at a blond-haired young boy, who jumped. "Get the town healer!"

Somehow in all the confusion, Link noticed that Valan was waiting, standing apart from them yet watching them with a level gaze. "Go," he murmured toward Zelda, pushing her in Valan's direction.

The crowd fell silent once more as Zelda approached Valan, wearing the regal stance she had adopted before the match, but her voice was earnest as she spoke. 

"We do at least have a _chance_ of winning, General Valan," she said quietly, gazing up at his weary, worn face. "Isn't it time to let the ghosts pass on?"

Valan looked at her as though he'd never seen anything like her in his life. His voice, when he spoke, was quiet and full of emotion. "You are truly your mother's daughter, Majesty."

The general sank to one knee. "I, Valan," he began, "do solemnly swear my allegiance to Her Majesty Zelda, Queen of the Hylians, and vow to serve her and her descendants in every way that I can, until the end of my days."

Zelda's voice shook a tiny bit, but was otherwise quite calm as she replied, "And I, Zelda, do accept Valan's allegiance, and vow to serve him and his descendants, until the end of my days."

"Good," Link rasped as Zelda and Valan approached. "You have a general."

"All thanks to you, Link," Zelda said, beaming.

Link nodded. "There's just one more thing." He held up his hand, his ribs screaming in protest at the movement, and showed Zelda the back of it. Zelda's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the perfectly etched mark of the goddesses on the back of his hand. "If I'm not mistaken, I think the Triforce of Courage has awakened."

And with that he promptly fainted.

* * *

To be continued.


	32. Gathering

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

I've gotten a lot of inquiries lately as to my reading material and what or who has influenced my writing. Yes, I do read a lot of Tamora Pierce, as you'd know by looking in my bio. She's one of my favorite authors and has heavily influenced my writing for the past few years. Letsee, what else...there's J.K. Rowling, of course, author of my current favorite book, _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_. Anne McCaffrey is always good for a read, though her books definitely aren't my favorites. 

Marion Zimmer Bradley's _The Mists of Avalon _is brilliant, give that a read. Monica Furlong's _Wise Child _is a great "young adult" novel along the lines of _The Mists of Avalon._ And my favorite novel-that-isn't-a-novel is _Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds _by Hayao Miyazaki, the filmmaker behind such movies as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke. Yes, it's a manga, but it reads like a novel, and it's extremely well-written. I highly recommend it.

Anyway, that's much of what I read, aside from numerous manga. 

* * *

Chapter 32

Gathering

Only when she had seen Link safely to his bed in the inn with a healer watching over him did Zelda allow herself to stop worrying. She was faint with relief. As much as she believed in Link, and believed that he would win against Valan, she had truly thought, for a brief moment during that fight, that he was going to die. Her knees were shaky as she went downstairs to the tavern below the inn, where her friends and Valan were waiting for her.

She saw them all look at her expectantly and dropped down into a chair with a sigh. "I need a drink."

"Nah," Valan said gruffly. "That stuff's no good for a lady like you." He paused for a moment, then added in an even gruffer tone, nodding toward the stairs, "Is he going to be all right? That Link of yours?"

Zelda smiled wearily at her general. "He'll be fine."

"Good." Valan glanced around expectantly. "Well? I expect we'll be getting to work soon?"

"First we need your help with a few things," said Impa. "Would you happen to know of any Hylians that are left alive in this town?"

"I know the headman, does he count?" 

Zelda blinked. "The headman of Kakariko is a Hylian?"

Valan shrugged. "The old headman took him in after Ganondorf's takeover. Adopted him as his own son. His father died of sickness a few years back, and the kid's been running the town ever since. He's young, but he's good. They trust him, the townspeople."

"Would you take me to see him?" Zelda asked, rising.

"Rauru and I will accompany you," Impa said immediately, exchanging a glance with the Sage of Light.

The four of them made their way to the headman's home, a charming red-bricked cottage in the middle of the town. Valan banged on the door with his enormous fist, then entered as if it were his own house. A pretty, dark-eyed, dark-haired young woman, her belly swollen with pregnancy, looked up from a simmering pot on the hearth as Valan shuffled in, Zelda in his wake.

"Hello, Valan," she said with a warm smile, then turned toward the stairs at the back of the house. "Bower! You got company!" In a quieter tone she added, "Quite a show you put on today in the town square. I haven't seen you swinging that massive sword around in a while."

"It felt nice to have a go with it, Rowen," Valan admitted as a young man with reddish-brown hair and pale blue eyes came bouncing down the stairs.

"Afternoon, Valan," he said cheerfully, all jauntiness and boyish charm. "That blond-haired guy was something, eh? Did you win your lady in the end?"

"My lady's right here," Valan said gruffly, shoving Zelda to the forefront, "and I didn't win myself anything but a queen to serve, Bower."

"Hello," Zelda said a bit shyly as the eyes of Bower and his wife Rowen found her. 

"Do you believe Valan?" Rowen said dryly to Zelda, stirring the pot on the hearth. "All this nonsense about queens and such. You must be terribly embarrassed." 

"She shouldn't be," Rauru interjected, standing in the threshold of the door with Impa. "Being as she _is _a queen."

"That's Rauru and Impa." Valan waved his hand in the sages' general direction. "Sages, y'know. I used to work with them. I'm not surprised that Impa survived, at least."

Rowen put down her ladle and surveyed them with renewed interest.

"Sages, you say?" Bower asked, though his eyes were shifting between Valan and Zelda. "And this one a queen?"

"You said something about resisting Ganondorf," Rowen remarked, her dark eyes resting levelly on Zelda's face. "Were you serious, or was it all for show?"

"I meant every word I said," Zelda assured her evenly. "May we talk?"

Rowen exchanged a glance with her husband. "I'll set some more places at the table."

Ten minutes later they were all seated at the kitchen table with steaming bowls of Rowen's hearty stew set before them. "Bit of a risk you took today, wasn't it?" Rowen said to Zelda, stirring her stew absently. "Talking about Ganondorf in the middle of the square in broad daylight."

Zelda shrugged, hardly phased. "Everything I've done in the last few weeks has been a 'bit of a risk.'"

Bower stared at her, wide-eyed. "You're not worried that an agent of Ganondorf may have heard you?"

Zelda exchanged a glance with Impa. "Worried, yes," she said quietly. "I'm always worried. But I don't know how else to spread the word."

Rowan raised her eyebrows. "You mean your claims that you're a queen of some sort?"

"She is a queen," said Rauru and Valan defensively.

Rowen made a disbelieving noise. "Of what, I might ask?"

"The Hylians," Rauru told her shortly. "The same race of which your husband is descended, I believe."

Rowen looked at Bower, who gazed at Zelda thoughtfully. "You do look quite a bit like her," he said, his voice slow and quiet. "So much that it's hard to believe she's not come back to life. You'd be her daughter, I suppose?"

Zelda nodded, glad that she didn't have to explain it all again.

Rowen was still gazing at her husband. "Bower, what in Din's name are you talking about?"

"It was about twenty years ago, Rowen," Bower said softly. "After Ganondorf laid siege to the castle and razed it to the ground...we all came here, those of us who were left alive. I was only seven," he added for the benefit of the rest, "but I remember it very clearly. I remember the queen...her hair was like spun gold and she was heavily pregnant. They said she had a girl. But the queen disappeared, and so did her daughter." He turned his gaze to Zelda again, suddenly looking quite upset. "Why did it take you so long to come back? We've waited so long for you...for Link...for some glimmer of hope. Nearly everyone's given up by now."

"I'm sorry," Zelda said softly. "I didn't know what I was fated to do, I didn't even know who I was until just a few months ago." 

"You've got to tell them, Bower," Valan interjected in a low, urgent tone, his good eye fixed on the headman's face. "Tell everyone who will listen that Zelda and Link have returned, they're here with us, that they can defeat Ganondorf and purge this land of his evil–with help," he added pointedly.

"Don't tell me you're a believer, Valan," Rowen said quietly. "After all these years?"

Valan glanced at Zelda fleetingly, then calmly met Rowen's eyes. "I am. You both saw what that boy can do! That puny blade of his cut my sword in half!"

Rowen shook her head, disbelieving. Bower looked uncertain.

"Zelda," Impa said quietly. "Show them."

Zelda blinked at her, unsure of what she meant, then abruptly understood. "Oh!" Obligingly she held up her hand for Bower and Rowen.

The couple stared in clear astonishment at the goddess mark etched irrevocably into her skin. "Farore's mercy," Bower said weakly. "I thought the Triforce was just a legend."

"Link has the other piece," Zelda added. "It awakened during his spar with Valan."

Bower and Rowen exchanged another long glance, communicating silently. The others waited.

"We'll spread the word," Bower said at last, looking at Zelda again. "I don't know how many people we can actually convince, but I'm sure a lot will want to hear what you have to say, at least."

"We'll need to find a safe place to meet," Rowen added grimly. "If Ganondorf hears of a rebellion..." She left it to their imagination.

"I know of a safe place," Impa remarked, her crimson eyes gleaming wickedly. "It has an age-old protection that will keep us hidden from Ganondorf's agents. Just the entrance hall is big enough to hold several dozen people. It's dark and cold, but the only enemies we need worry about are ghosts."

"Oh, goddesses," Rauru groaned. "Don't tell me you're thinking of the Shadow Temple."

Impa blinked innocently. "Where else?"

* * *

"I don't like this place," Link said edgily, gazing about the massive cavern-like foyer of the Shadow Temple.

"Then you should have stayed in bed," Zelda replied testily, silently agreeing wholeheartedly with Link's sentiments. It was dawn of the day after Link's fight with Valan, though one wouldn't know it in the darkness of the Shadow Temple. The healer had done the best she could with Link's ribs, but they would need a few days at least to heal completely. Although the healer had recommended Link spend most of that time in bed, he insisted on being present for the meeting in the temple. Zelda was not happy about it.

Not that anyone seemed very happy. The mere atmosphere of the Shadow Temple, the permeating reek of death and blood, was enough to put them all on edge. Bolo was clutching at Cleo as though he had just walked into his worst nightmare, while Rauru paced restlessly back and forth, muttering darkly to himself. Even Ronin was shifting uneasily, looking not at all his usual unfazed self, while Blue, in the shape of a black cat today, twined around his legs, her fur standing on end. Only Impa seemed at home in this place.

Zelda studied the carvings etched into the ground underfoot as they waited for townspeople to appear. They looked like words, written in some language that Zelda had never seen before. The words seemed to twist and writhe under her scrutiny until her head spun; tearing her eyes away with some difficulty, Zelda looked to Impa. 

"What are those carvings?" she asked, indicating the floor.

Impa glanced down and up again. "They're words," she said, confirming Zelda's thoughts, "written in the ancient language of the Sheikah. The same phrase repeated over and over again. Translated into Hylian, they would read, _'People of the shadows, drink the lifeblood of your masters, and in return guide them through the gates of death to the world that awaits them at the end of this temple. And when you have paid your debt to them, return to the shadows from which you were birthed, and oblivion.'"_

Zelda thought of the only Sheikah she had known in her life and decided fervently that they were the strangest people she had ever met. "Impa, is it true that Sheikah can't exist without sustenance from other people?"

Impa stared at her, clearly wondering where she had learned that bit of information. At last she replied with her own question: "If there is nothing to cast a shadow, can that shadow exist?"

Zelda bit her lip. "If I die tomorrow," she said in a very quiet voice, "does that mean you'll disappear?"

"Yes. I am sworn to protect the royal family of Hyrule," Impa explained. "As you are the only living member of that family, once you die there will be no one left to sustain me."

"That's terrible! I don't want you to just–just cease to exist when I die!"

Impa shrugged, looking entirely unconcerned. "I have lived long enough."

Their discussion ended then as Valan, Bower, and Rowen entered the temple's foyer, followed by a veritable stream of people, all chattering nervously as if to make up for the silence in the temple. Men and women, young and old, they poured steadily into the temple, weaving around the many torches that littered the foyer and pressing close to the walls to make room for more. Valan, Bower, and Rowen joined Zelda and her friends in the center of the foyer and they pressed together in a tight group, watching in amazement as dozens upon dozens of people added to the dense, massive crowd.

"How many people are coming?" Zelda demanded of the headman and his wife.

Rowen's lips twitched in a smile. "Pretty much the entire town."

"We're going to need a bigger meeting place," Rauru said happily.

* * *

To be continued.


	33. Refuge of the Hylians

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

Sorry for the wait in between chapters. I should update sooner, especially since there's so much to go through. Still not done with the story, though I'm working on it. Sometimes I get the feeling people are losing interest in this story, though I suppose it's all in my head; the 400+ reviews this fic has is proof enough of that. 

Actually I think I'm getting paranoid mostly because I'm pretty depressed right now, from a combination of factors including too much schoolwork, too little sleep, a phone conversation with my mom that was less than pleasant, and of course, frustration over _The Destined. _It's all getting pretty bad. Everything is just...closing in, I guess. 

***

Chapter 33

Refuge of the Hylians

The Shadow Temple was built underground into an expanse of land on the outskirts of Kakariko Town. The field above the temple was calm and grassy, tucked protectively between the cliff faces of Death Mountain. In the end, it was there that the entire town gathered, hoping that the ward placed by the goddesses on the temple extended to the surrounding land.

Link, listening with only half an ear as Zelda explained about the resistance, examined the faces in the crowd. There were many young men and women, adolescents that were perhaps even younger than Zelda and himself. They were the ones who looked most convinced, who hadn't lived long enough to give up hope of overthrowing Ganondorf. 

He couldn't help wondering how many of them would be left alive after a war with Ganondorf, if it came to that. 

"How can we make soldiers out of these people?" he asked Rowen in a whisper, giving voice to his fears. "They need training, they need to know how to fight–they need weapons, for that matter–"

Rowen smiled. "Don't be so quick to judge us defenseless, Master Link. I'll show you a secret of ours, if you'd like."

"Now?"

"You've heard all this before, haven't you?"

She had a point, so they slipped away from the crowds and walked back to the almost deserted town. Rowen led Link to her own house and down a flight of stairs that led to the cellar. Link helped her, worried that she might fall and injure her unborn child. 

"Thanks," Rowen huffed, tottering with difficulty on the slippery stone steps. "I feel ready to drop any day now, but the baby is taking her sweet time."

"Her?" Link echoed.

Rowen nodded. "The midwife used her magic to discern the baby's gender. I told Bower I was sorry I couldn't give him a son to train as town headman. He blinks at me and says, 'a daughter will do just as well.'" She chuckled. "Guess my husband really was born of a queen's kingdom."

"Have you thought of a name?" Link inquired politely.

Rowen made a face. "Bower wants to name her 'Rowena,' after me, you know. I'm not so sure about that."

The cellar was a cool, dry room with stone walls and packed dirt underfoot, crammed with stored food. On the far wall hung a tapestry; Rowen went straight to it, removing a ring of keys from her belt, and pushed the tapestry aside to reveal a plain wooden door with a heavy lock. She pushed a key into the lock and turned it; the door swung open to reveal a room glittering with piles and piles of weapons.

Link's jaw dropped. He stepped past Rowen, who looked quite pleased with herself, and stared in amazement at the multitude of weapons littering the small storeroom. There were swords of every kind, daggers, bows and quivers full of arrows, axes, pole arms, clubs and maces, even scimitars like the Gerudos used. Though strewn about haphazardly on the floor, all of them looked well-made and well-cared for.

"Once a month, Bower and I come down here and clean all the weapons," Rowen said happily. "It's a big job, but well worth the effort. Nearly everyone in the village knows the basics of sword combat, and many are skilled in other weapons. We're not as helpless as you think."

"Clearly I misjudged you," Link admitted, picking up a gleaming sword and examining it. "I never imagined Kakariko would be so...prepared."

"Of course we're prepared," Rowen said proudly. "Kakariko is the second home of the Hylian Kingdom. We birthed the Sheikah who have protected the royal family throughout the ages. Whenever the Hylian people are in trouble, this town is their refuge. Our people have tricked Ganondorf many times into believing we're loyal to him, but we'll always support the _true_ heir to the kingdom."

"I thought you didn't believe Zelda was a queen?" Link asked her in mild surprise.

Rowen shrugged. "Maybe I'm starting to change my mind."

* * *

Link reported the hidden mass of weapons to Zelda, who reported it in turn to Valan, who apparently already knew. Once the meeting above the Shadow Temple was over, Valan got to work.

"Everyone who intends to do their part in the resistance against Ganondorf, sign up with them over there," he ordered, pointing at the town clerks and scribes he had personally recruited for help. "Tell them what weapons you feel you're best with. And I'll tell you now," he added, gazing about at the determined, eager faces of his audience, "once you put your name on that roster you belong to me, got it? You'll train when I say you train, you'll fight when I say you'll fight, and you'll sleep only when I'm finished with you. This is a war we're preparing for, not a tea party."

Valan appointed Impa and Rauru as his commanders-in-chief. Zelda could understand picking Impa, but she had her qualms about the Sage of Light's abilities. "Isn't he a little old to be fighting a war?" she asked Valan in a pointed whisper.

Rauru, unfortunately, overheard. "Excuse me?" he growled. "Was that a comment about my age I heard?"

Zelda gulped. "Not meaning any disrespect, but–"

"You're the archer, right?" Rauru demanded, looking her over with a critical eye. "Valan, I'd like command of the archer trainees, if that's all right with you."

"Fine with me," Valan agreed cheerfully, a wicked smile playing about his broad lips.

Zelda groaned. She had a feeling the old man was going to make her eat her words.

Once the meeting was adjourned, Valan, Impa, and Rauru sat in the tavern and planned a training schedule while Zelda and Link looked on. The five stayed up late in the night, arguing the tactics of war and how the townspeople–soldiers, as Valan insisted they now were–could be best used to their advantage.

"Look, you can't just throw a bunch of people together and expect them to fight a battle," Valan insisted. "Even if they were the best warriors in the world they'd still be slaughtered like spring lambs without organization. Basics of war combat–you've got your archers, your mounted warriors, and your foot soldiers. See, archers are your best bet for taking out as much of the enemy as they can before the real fighting begins. You put them in your front line in an offensive move. Then your mounts, then your foot soldiers. The pole arms are kind of a wild card."

"Why?" Zelda asked, frowning.

"Well, it depends on whether your enemy has more mounted warriors than you do. Usually the mounts attack first, see? And when you've got a whole line of strong horses and warriors bearing down on you, you'd damn well better have your pole arms intact. Let the horses impale themselves."

Zelda winced, but Valan gave a harsh bark of laughter. "That's war, Your Majesty. Not fun, not pretty."

Zelda had no illusions. Less than half of Ganondorf's rumored forces were human. The rest were assembled beasts and monsters, lacking any shred of pity or kindness. Ganondorf's soldiers would be merciless. Hers would have to be merciless as well.

It was an immense relief to have an experienced war general on their side to make these decisions, though Zelda knew that, ultimately, the call to war would be hers. She didn't relish the thought. "I'm going to bed," she muttered, rising.

She didn't notice Impa following her until the Sheikah stopped her before she could ascend the stairs to her room on the upper level. "Zelda, we're going to have to think of some other place to organize the resistance," Impa warned her, eyes grave. "Sooner or later Ganondorf's going to get word of what we're up to, and my bet is sooner."

"I know," Zelda said grimly. "The question is, where can we hide an entire army, when it comes to that?"

"Maybe in the last place Ganondorf–or anyone–would think to look," Impa replied quietly. Without elaborating further she retreated, leaving Zelda with her thoughts.

* * *

If Zelda had thought that any of the townspeople who were now their soldiers would protest to the early schedule set by Valan, Impa, and Rauru, she was wrong. With those three at their heels there seemed to be no protest at all. Thus did Zelda find herself in the field above the Shadow Temple with a group of archers at the crack of dawn, blinking sleepily at targets set so far across the field they were barely visible in the feeble morning light. This had to be Rauru's idea, she thought wearily. And she'd just had to open her mouth.

Most of the archers were adolescents ranged around Zelda's age, though a few were middle-aged or older. As she'd expected, the younger townspeople had been easiest to convince. A girl on her right with red hair and dark brown eyes, who looked barely over fifteen, smiled at Zelda. She returned the smile, then looked away, biting her lip. Much as she tried, she could not stop herself from wondering if the girl's short life would be cut shorter in the coming war.

To her surprise, Rowen was also among the archers, maneuvering to hold her bow properly around her enormous belly. "You're not thinking of fighting with a baby on the way," Zelda called to her worriedly.

Rowen glanced at her from her place in the line. "Morning to you, too," she called back in her usual calm tone. "And if it comes to it, yes, I will fight. For my child's sake, my husband's sake, and my town's sake. What do _you_ fight for, O Queen of the Hylians?"

Rauru gave the order then to begin firing at will. Rowen deftly set an arrow to nock, took aim at the target, and shot. The arrow punched through the center of the distant target.

Zelda raised her eyebrows, but said no more. Instead she concentrated on her own firing as Rauru walked up and down the line, correcting mistakes in stance and firing technique. Zelda tried to ignore him when he stopped close behind her, but found it was rather hard to concentrate with a sage breathing down her neck, especially one just waiting for her to mess up.

When her arrow punched outside of the bull's eye, Rauru gave her an earful, as expected.

"YOU CALL THAT SHOOTING? I CALL IT CHILD'S PLAY! THEY TOLD ME YOU WERE GOOD! SOME DAMN FIGHTER YOU MAKE! WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE IT TO THE BOYS AND THE MEN, LITTLE GIRL?!"

"Nice job, Peliwin," he added calmly to the girl on Zelda's right as he moved on. Zelda looked at Peliwin's target and saw all of her arrows clustered in the center.

Peliwin giggled nervously, drawing Zelda's attention to her. "That was mean," she observed sympathetically. 

"He has it in for me because I called him old," Zelda said mournfully.

Peliwin frowned. "But he is old."

"I know! How can he even see the targets?"

The girl giggled again. "I'm Peliwin," she introduced herself officially, holding out a hand encased in an archer's leather guard. "And you're the queen, of course. You talked yesterday."

"Yes, but please just call me Zelda." Zelda clasped Peliwin's hand firmly. "You shoot really well."

"Thanks," Peliwin replied a bit shyly. "So do you."

Zelda shook her head wryly. "I'm the one Rauru yelled at, remember?"

Peliwin raised her bow again to shoot at the target. "No one's ever spoken of rebelling against Ganondorf," she said abruptly. "Well, some have, but I guess they were too scared to go through with it. Not that I blame them."

"Me neither," Zelda admitted quietly, setting an arrow to nock.

"You're different, though," Peliwin continued as she drew and shot. "You're descended of royalty. You have a lot of people on your side already. You even have the goddesses' blessing." She scooped another arrow out of her quiver and looked at it thoughtfully. "My friends and I, we think you'll do it. We think you'll really overthrow him."

Zelda released her arrow, and smiled as it hit dead center in the bull's eye.

* * *

If Link's duel with Valan taught him anything, it was that he was severely out of practice. Therefore, as soon as the healer pronounced him and his ribs fit, he joined in the daily training with bows and arrows, mounted combat, and of course swords. He also joined in the practice with pole arms and axes when he wasn't too exhausted. In consequence he spent most of each day in the field above the Shadow Temple, training under the watchful eye of Impa, Valan, or Rauru, rising before dawn and retiring late in the evening.

What he regretted most about the arduous schedule was that he hardly saw Zelda anymore. Sometimes he had the oddest feeling that she was avoiding him, though he dismissed that idea as nonsense. Certainly she had a lot to do. When she wasn't training, she was attending the meetings between Valan, Impa, and Rauru, watching as they sketched out a battle plan that incorporated both their current troops and the soldiers they would have when united with the peoples of Hyrule. Any free time she had, she spent among the townspeople, learning names and faces and letting them get to know her. 

People also approached Link about Zelda, chief among them the Hylians, who had plenty of questions about their future queen. What was she like? What kind of ruler would she be? Was she haughty? Did she care about her would-be subjects, from the richest merchant to the lowliest beggar? Link tried his best to build sympathy and support for Zelda, but he could see that most weren't appeased until they'd spoken to Zelda herself. He wasn't worried; she would win them over in the end.

The townspeople were curious about Link as well. From the conversations he had in between training, he learned that they liked to reminisce about the Link who had come before him, and compare the two. 

The blacksmith to whom Link was once apprenticed in Timari, his home village, often wondered aloud what Link's late mother was thinking when she named him after the hero who once protected Hyrule. Link had never worried about it. Now, for the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to be called Link. He had the reputation of a great hero to live up to, one who was still fresh in people's minds. He wondered if Zelda felt this way, having to live up to the reputation of her royal mother.

Plenty tended to wonder aloud whether Link was up to the task of defeating Ganondorf. His duel with Valan had convinced some, but many saw him as a green boy with no real battle experience. There was no point in trying to persuade them otherwise with words; instead Link ignored the comments and focused on his training.

Valan himself trained the soldiers in mounted combat astride a gigantic black stallion he called Thunder. Link had some experience with shooting a bow and fighting with his sword from horseback, but he clearly needed a lot of practice. Demon was certainly up to the task. Normally easy-going and good-natured, the gelding was as fierce as a stallion in battle, even when the combat was just practice. He was the perfect companion. Link always took his time rubbing him down after practice, murmuring compliments as Demon whickered and tossed his head in pleasure.

Rauru had plenty to yell at him about in the early-morning archery practice, but in sword training under Impa's hawk-like eye he was one of the best, though Link still felt he needed much practice. The most gratifying thing he learned as the days of training wore on was that the majority of his fellow soldiers were not rank novices; most of them were at least mildly skilled, often experts with at least one sort of weapon. Valan, Impa, and Rauru shifted the trainees around often according to their experience and skills, so that the group Link practiced with one day might be different the next. 

One day in sword practice Link found himself paired off with Bolo. Reading the young thief's emotionless expression, Link had no idea what he was in store for, but the strikes that they exchanged were polite and careful. When Impa gave the order for free combat to commence, Link abruptly found himself facing a vastly improved opponent, whose skill and speed rivaled his own. Bolo had been practicing.

After practice, Link and Bolo collapsed side by side on the grass. The thief unscrewed the top of his water canteen, took a long gulp, then passed it to Link. "Thanks," Link said, surprised but grateful as he drank greedily.

"You're pretty good," he remarked as he passed the canteen back.

Bolo smiled wryly. "You're not bad yourself."

Feeling as though they'd reached an understanding, Link gazed up and watched clouds drift across the dazzlingly blue sky. "Does Zelda know you're planning to fight in the war?" he asked abruptly.

"Probably."

"You could die," Link pointed out.

"I know."

"It'll hurt her bad if you do."

"I know." Bolo stuck a blade of grass in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "But this isn't just her fight anymore. This is everyone's fight. And I intend to see it through."

"So do I," Link said softly, lying back in the grass.

* * *

To be continued.


	34. Iron Knight

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

The current line of thinking among some of the readers seems to be that I've been inspired by LotR. Well, you're right! :D (Partly, anyway.) Everything I know about battles and war I learned from LotR (the movies, I hate the books), Tamora Pierce, and a bit of my own research. My observations and research will start to show through more and more in the coming chapters.

Thank you very much to those who inquired after my mood (especially Ghoul King, who left the longest and one of the most...interesting reviews I've ever received ^^;). I'm definitely feeling better, especially now that midterms are over and I'm going home for a week-long break.

This chapter is slightly evil...since I won't be able to post the next till I get back. ^^;; 

***

Chapter 34

Iron Knight

That night dark clouds seemed to roll in from nowhere and a steady rainfall began. The townspeople were bewildered. "It's summer," Rowen told Zelda, scowling at the sky as though it were being impertinent. "It never rains during the summer."

Training went on in the rain. When at last Valan dismissed his troops, the townspeople retreated wearily back to their homes, soaked and exhausted. While Valan, Impa, and Rauru had their nightly meeting at Valan's favorite table in the tavern, discussing war, Zelda sat at the counter instead and poured over a large map of Hyrule. Link didn't join her, apparently too exhausted after the long day.

"You should go to bed," Impa told Zelda once the meeting had adjourned. "You have to be up early for Rauru's training, don't you?" A wicked smile played around her lips, but Zelda wasn't amused.

"I'm trying to figure out where we can move all these people so that we can continue our training unnoticed," she explained wearily, pointing to the map. "But Ganondorf's agents are everywhere. There's no place to hide."

Impa shrugged. "We'll find a place."

Zelda rubbed her face and her weary eyes. "I'm scared," she admitted at last in a very quiet tone. "It's like...there's something in the air today, and it's putting me on edge. I feel as though something is out there, waiting for its chance."

"To do what?" Impa's eyes were sharp on Zelda's face.

"I don't know."

There was a long silence. Then Impa slid into a stool beside Zelda and pointed to the enormous landmass in the center of the map. "Here."

Zelda stared at the map, then at Impa, wondering if she'd taken leave of her senses. "Hyrule Field? You're kidding, right?"

Impa slowly shook her head. "It's the last place Ganondorf would think to look."

"You're crazy," Zelda said flatly, grabbing the map and crumpling it up. "I'm not leading my people into Hyrule Field again."

"What if I told you there was something there, in the middle of it?" Impa asked calmly. "A place that could be made habitable and safe for an army-in-training? A place entirely devoid of Ganondorf's agents and the very last place in Hyrule that he would think to look?"

Zelda shook her head. "I'd say it was too good to be true, because I know it is."

"You're wrong. The map doesn't show it, but there is a place." Impa took the map from Zelda, smoothed it out on the counter again, and pointed to a region in the northern central part of Hyrule Field. "It's not far from here, either. Perhaps an hour or two's walk if you know where you're going."

Zelda rubbed her eyes again, feeling very weary. "Impa, what in Din's name are you talking about?"

"Lon Lon Ranch," was the Sheikah's reply. "An old horse ranch. Its owners were killed long ago and the premises deserted, but it still exists. As a fortress, it wouldn't do too badly. High walls and a lot of space inside for training. We could make it safe."

Zelda sighed. "All right. Assuming this place exists, how in Din's name would we get there in the first place? In case you haven't noticed, Hyrule Field is swarming with monsters and we can't afford any casualties at this step in the game. Not only that, but we would have to get everyone else–the people that my thieves and the sages are gathering–to this place and ensure _their_ safety along the way. If that's doable–"

"It is doable," Impa interrupted calmly. "It merely requires the Sage of Time."

"The Sage of Time...?" Zelda stared at her, then abruptly it hit her. "Farore's mercy," she said weakly. "You mean to have me freeze time for all of Hyrule Field? I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can. It would be an immense toll on your power and energy, that is true, but we sages can lend you our power to lessen the strain. And if we coordinate our movements, you need only freeze time for a few hours, to allow our allies to reach the ranch safely. All of us sages, including you, are connected. We can communicate a plan."

Zelda bit her lip, staring at the map in silence. The fact that Impa even suggested such an idea told her how desperate their situation was–the Sheikah must feel the ill foreboding in the air, as Zelda did. But the idea _was_ doable. If they pulled it off, they would be out of Ganondorf's reach, at least for a time. That alone made it worth a try.

"Fine," she said quietly. "But I'm contacting the sages tonight, and you're to tell Valan and Rauru to spread the word to our troops. I want everyone ready to go at any moment. Anyone who's not ready gets left behind." It was an extreme measure, but she was desperate enough to do it. She did not like one bit the scalp-crawling feeling that had been with her all day and night. "What about Marek, Rune, and Dagger?" she remembered worriedly. "None of the sages went with them. How will I contact them?"

Impa was quick enough with an answer. "Contact Saria," she suggested. "Tell her to go to Hylia City to find them and be ready to come to Lon Lon Ranch at your command."

"Will she get there fast enough?" Zelda worried.

"Sages can be anywhere they want in an instant," Impa informed her dryly. "You could too, if you tried."

Zelda made a mental note to test that theory, but for now she decided it was best to conserve her energy for the migration to Hyrule Field. "That's it," she whispered, staring at the map. "Goddesses save us. This is getting more dangerous by the moment."

* * *

The next day dawned dark and stormy. Zelda didn't bother sleeping in, knowing well that a little thunderstorm wouldn't divert Valan from the day's training. And she had things to do.

Before archery practice, Zelda sought out Ronin and Blue in the nearly-deserted training field. Blue was still favoring her black cat shape. "I need you to do something for me, Ronin," she said quietly, so as not to be overheard. "Both of you," she added, looking at Blue.

"Anything for my fair lady," Ronin said amiably. "What is it that you need?"

"Impa says there's a place in Hyrule Field that was once a horse ranch," Zelda explained, talking fast to avoid being interrupted. "It may well be the only safe place–well, relatively safe place–that we can gather to continue training and planning the resistance. I want you to go and fly with Blue over the field and see if you can scout out this place."

Ronin raised his brows when she was done, but thankfully did not question her request. "Very well. This shouldn't take long." He bent down to pick up Blue, stroking her delicate skull. "What do you say, love?"

The cat purred, rubbing under Ronin's chin. "I knew _you_ would agree," he said wryly, adding to Zelda, "She's antsy for a bit of adventure." 

He stepped back several paces and threw Blue up into the air. An enormous wind sprung up out of nowhere, seeming to engulf Blue as she changed shape in midair, growing and lengthening so rapidly that Zelda could not follow the transformation. Within seconds Blue the dragon was flapping to keep herself aloft, her great wings beating through the rain. She raised her slender, lizard-like head and bellowed forth an eager roar, answered by the surprised cries of fright and amazement by the early-morning trainees staggering onto the field. 

Blue swooped around the field once as if stretching her wings, then dove and snatched Ronin up into her talons. With a great gust of wind the two were gone, flapping up into the stormy, lightning-torn sky.

* * *

Link heard about Zelda's forebodings and plan to migrate to Hyrule Field from Impa, rather than Zelda herself. For some reason this nagged at him. He couldn't help thinking, yet again, that Zelda was avoiding him, but he shrugged off the thought and tried to concentrate on training.

It wasn't easy. Zelda wasn't the only one whose nerves were jumping today. Link felt as though a chill was constantly crawling up and down his spine, though he couldn't fathom why. The day wore into evening, the evening into night, and the strange feeling didn't dissipate. If anything, it grew stronger.

Such it was that Link found himself seated on a crate outside of the inn in the rain with his sword in hand. He couldn't sleep. Something was coming and he didn't know what. He wanted to tell someone, but what could he say? He had a feeling? Zelda would believe him, maybe even Valan, Impa, and Rauru, but the exhausted townspeople would hardly bother themselves to worry.

Thunder rumbled ominously across the sky. Link's agitation suddenly grew tenfold. Cold sweat trickled down his back. Whatever it was, it was no longer coming. It was here.

He sprang to his feet as though fired from a catapult, running as fast as he could toward the entrance of the town. He wondered at the absence of an alarm, but as he drew closer to the entrance he saw the reason–the sentries had abandoned their posts and were running flat-out as if chased by a pack of ravenous wolves. Yet Link saw no sign of the enemy.

He caught a man by the arm as he tried to dart past. "What the hell's going on?" Link demanded.

The man looked at him wildly, his face reflected abject terror. "Goddesses save us!" he shrieked. "It's an Iron Knight!"

Link let the man go, rooted shock-still where he stood. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. An Iron Knight. He could think of no worse foe but Ganondorf himself.

Everyone knew that Iron Knights were the most powerful and terrifying creatures that served under Ganondorf; wherever they went, they left destruction and death in their wake. The very few who managed to survive their attacks had no words for the horror of the knights. A single knight could raze an entire settlement to the ground and slaughter every living creature around it without mercy.

Ganondorf knew. Somehow he had been informed of the resistance. 

It took every ounce of Link's will to keep moving toward the town entrance. There was no sign yet of the Iron Knight; they were slow but unstoppable. And he, Link, was the only thing that stood between it and Kakariko.

Slow vibrations in the earth heralded the Iron Knights' coming; Link felt its heavy steps underfoot as he reached the entrance to the town, before the long stretch of land that lay between Kakariko's gate and the stairs carved into the mountain. There he stood, shaking all over, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He gripped the Master Sword in a white-knuckled grip and waited. All was very quiet; even the rumbling of thunder overhead seemed dimmed.

A horse's whinny split the air; Link chanced a glance back to see Demon thundering toward him at full gallop, trailing the rope that had tied him to his stall in the stable.

"Demon!" Link gasped in shock as the gelding reached him, prancing skittishly as his eyes rolled with terror. "What are you doing here?! Get back to your stable _now,_ are you insane?!"

But there was a steeliness in Demon's eyes that Link had never seen before. Ceasing his frantic prancing, the horse lowered his head and snorted, glaring at Link and pawing aggressively at the dirt. It was a battle stance. Demon was ready to fight with him.

Demon butted Link's chest and tossed his head, a clear order to mount. He had no tack save for the roped tied around his muzzle like reins, but Link threw himself astride the gelding's back, turning him to face the stairs. Demon wanted to fight; Link understood that. And he could not possibly claim that he would rather be facing this enemy alone.

"When that Iron Knight comes up those stairs," he murmured to Demon, who continued to snort and paw the earth, "we're going to charge him. He's powerful but slow. Just keep moving; keep out of his range. I'll guide you."

The gelding tossed his head as if he understood, and Link wouldn't have been surprised if he did. He patted the horse's neck as the two of them waited. He couldn't rely on help; if the town knew an Iron Knight was heading their way, they would likely panic. It was up to Link and Demon.

_Farore, give me courage,_ he prayed, sweating, as the Iron Knight's horned helmet appeared over the lip of the stairs.

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

I thought I should make a note on something in this chapter because I expect everyone would inquire after it. Yes, I changed the name of the Iron Knuckles to Iron Knights and yes, I'm perfectly aware of that fact. Why? I just thought it sounded cooler. ^^; 


	35. The Migration

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

This chapter is unusually long, and I hope that tides you over, because it might be a while before I post the next one. I started writing again after a long hiatus, but it's slow going. I'm at a very difficult part in the story, and I'm trying to write it as best as I can, so I hope you can understand. Thanks, and please enjoy this chapter.

***

Chapter 35

The Migration

The Iron Knight halted momentarily at the top of the stairs, as if surprised to see Link and Demon there waiting for it. It was a giant encased from head to toe in thick armor–no one had ever seen what lay beneath. Link thought it must be seven feet tall at least, with shoulders as broad as a bull's, and was suddenly very glad to be mounted on Demon. The knight carried in ham-sized fists a war-axe that was longer than Link was tall, with two massive crescent-shaped blades crowning its head.

Link's heart thudded in his ears, yet his grip on the Master Sword was quite steady. Demon lowered his head and pawed the earth, then abruptly reared, screaming defiance as Link balanced precariously on his back. The instant he fell back on all fours Link prodded him with his heels. The gelding exploded down the stretch of land between them and the Iron Knight. 

The knight brought its great war-axe to bear, but too slowly. Link struck in a downward sweep as Demon thundered past–his blade met the knight's heavily-armored shoulder with a jolting crash and Link's left arm instantly went numb. Wincing, he swung the arm back and forth to restore feeling as Demon wheeled and cantered away. The force of his strike against the knight had numbed _his_ arm, while the Iron Knight wasn't even dented. It stared blankly at Link and Demon, then began its slow, torturous march toward the Kakariko gates.

Link set Demon to circling around it, striking whenever he could. The knight grunted with each clanging blow, but for all the damage Link's sword did he might have been an annoying mosquito. Demon pranced frantically between the knight and the gate as Link searched for an opening in its defense, something that would halt its slow, unwavering pace.

Its thick chest plate and horned helmet were impenetrable, yet if he could strike in the tiny opening between neck and shoulder...

He kicked Demon into a gallop. The knight halted as he charged and raised its massive axe above his head–but before he could bring it down again Link struck, aiming for the tiny sliver between helmet and chest plate. He felt his blade bite into the dense muscle at the juncture of neck and shoulder.

The knight roared as its axe struck the earth with a shudder like an earthquake, leaving a massive dent in the grass and soil. Crimson blood trickled from the opening in its armor as it straightened and turned toward Link.

Link hadn't expected to halt it after one strike, but if anything its wound seemed to anger the knight–it charged them with a speed that belied its size and strength. The axe swung in a great horizontal sweep; Demon cantered back just in time. The axe struck the cliff face with a massive shower of dirt and lodged into the rock. 

It was the chance Link had been waiting for. He kicked Demon into a thunderous gallop and aimed for the opening between helmet and chest plate once more, praying that his sword would cut its throat and end this battle. But he reckoned against its speed once again–a massive fist swung out of nowhere and struck Demon's flank with the force of a battering ram. The gelding was knocked off his feet with a terrified whinny, collapsing violently into the dirt. Link bit his lip to keep from crying out as the gelding fell heavily on his right leg, trapping him.

Link struggled to free himself from under his horse as the Iron Knight tugged at his axe. The moment that axe broke free, it was all over. Demon scrabbled his hooves frantically against the dirt, eyes rolling, trying futilely to right himself. 

With one mighty yank, the Iron Knight pulled its axe free. It turned to them with terrible deliberation, raising the massive axe high above its head.

Link closed his eyes. It was finished. He and Demon were dead.

A furious shriek tore the air apart; Link's eyes snapped open as a serpentine shape fell on the Iron Knight in a flurry of wings and talons, slamming it back against the cliff face. It was Blue, in her dragon form. And she was terrifying. 

Gone was the graceful serenity of her slender dragon form and amber eyes; now her eyes burned yellow with rage as she locked her jaws around the knight's neck. Her right hind paw pinned the fist holding the war-axe to the Iron Knight's side as her three remaining claws latched onto the knight's leg, chest, and shoulder, deadly silver talons digging through the metal to pierce the flesh beneath. The knight bellowed in pain, his free fist striking every part of her it could reach, but Blue seemed barely to notice the blows. Blood streamed from the breaches in the knight's armor and between Blue's jaws.

The horrifying struggle seemed to last an eternity, but the knight finally went still. Blue threw herself away from the body and into the air, screaming her triumph as her wings tore savagely through the rain.

Link managed to free himself at last and threw himself over Demon's shoulders protectively, wondering if the ferocious dragon was about to turn on them. Demon's flank rose and fell with unsteady breathing, his withers sweat-soaked.

Blue landed in the grass before them, rain-drenched, her eyes gleaming as she regarded them imperiously. Then she spoke in a voice that rang through Link's mind. _You must come with me at once. It is an emergency._

"This is an emergency," Link told her, still shaking, his voice as steady as he could manage. "I can't just leave Demon like this."

Blue reached toward them with a single massive paw–Link tensed–but the dragon scooped beneath Demon's body with infinite gentleness and very carefully righted the horse onto his hooves. Demon pranced away, whinnying in fright, until Link caught the rope tied around his muzzle and tugged until he and the gelding were forehead-to-forehead.

"Go to the inn in front of your stable," he whispered, "and get Zelda, Impa, all of them. Break down the door if you have to."

He didn't care if it was folly to give orders to a horse. Demon whickered as if for all the world he understood, then wheeled about and cantered toward Kakariko.

_On my back, _Blue ordered tersely, and Link obeyed her without hesitation, her savagery against the Iron Knight still fresh in his mind. As the dragon took to the air once more and swept down the mountain, she explained, _Ronin and I were on an errand for the queen-to-be. We saw the Iron Knight, marching from the direction of the Black King's castle. We attempted to intercept it before it could ascend the steps to this town. It struck Ronin– _She cut off, shuddering convulsively beneath him.__

There was no need for her to finish as they landed at the foot of the steps carved into the mountain. Ronin was sprawled on the ground, unmoving. Link leapt down from Blue's perch and went to him immediately; dropping to his knees at Ronin's side, he felt along the man's neck. His fingers met a pulse, slow but steady.

"He's alive, Blue," Link assured the dragon, faint with relief.

_Are you certain?_ the dragon demanded, her mind-voice trembling with anxiety and fright. _I thought I felt a pulse, but could not be sure–_

"I felt it," Link replied firmly. "It looks like he was just knocked out. Help me get him back to the town."

He hefted Ronin across Blue and flew with them back to the town. As they touched down in the town square, they encountered a score of people waiting–Zelda, Impa, Valan, Rauru, and Demon, who was being checked by a healer. 

"This man needs attention," Link called firmly, gently lifting Ronin off of Blue's back and laying him on the cobblestones. The healer, pronouncing Demon fit, went to Ronin's side to check him as Blue transformed into the small, dark-haired woman and knelt beside him.

Zelda went to Link. She was trembling and looked as though she was fighting not to cry. "What was it?" she asked quietly, her voice shaking.

Now that it was all over Link was suddenly aware of his immense fatigue and the soreness in his sword arm. He was still shaking from the aftereffects of the battle. "An Iron Knight."

Her face paled. "Farore's mercy. You took one of those on _by yourself?"_

"Actually, Blue took it on," Link told her, shuddering convulsively with the memory of the dragon's rage. "I just held it off for a while."

Zelda sagged against him in relief. "Thank the goddesses you're all right," she whispered.

Link put his arms around her, feeling her shoulder shaking with repressed sobs. "I'm fine," he whispered, forgetting that he had ever suspected her of avoiding him. "I'm not ever going to leave you."

She clung to him hard, then abruptly pulled back, biting her lip. "Link, there's something I have to tell you–"

"Zelda," Impa called. 

Zelda sighed, and Link kissed her forehead. "Tell me later. You have to go be a queen now."

To his surprise, her lips twisted suddenly in unmistakable bitterness. "Yes," she whispered, and went to join the sages and Valan.

* * *

When Zelda saw the body of the Iron Knight herself, an armored giant lying in a crumpled heap just before the Kakariko gates, she made up her mind. If Ganondorf had sent one of them to Kakariko, it could only mean one thing–he knew of the resistance. It was time for her army to move. 

She had Valan relay her decision to Bower and Rowen, who relayed it in the form of messengers and word-of-mouth to the entire town throughout the day. The trainees had an important decision to make–whether to remain in Kakariko, or to leave their own town for the relative unknown of Hyrule Field and a coming war. And they had until sundown to make it.

Zelda spent her day communicating with the sages stationed throughout Hyrule. From their mental conversations, she learned that Saria had reached Hylia City and was with Marek, Dagger, and Rune; that Ruto and Parcleus had located a tribe of Zora off the coast; that Darunia and Oberon had come across several hidden villages inhabited by a mix of Gorons and Hylians, all of whom were willing and eager to join the resistance; and that Nabooru and Azura had found far more allies than anticipated among the Gerudo. Together, she and her sages worked out the finer details of her plan.

That evening at sundown, the migration began.

Zelda stood at the Kakariko gates with all who planned to follow her into the depths of Hyrule Field. Her troops numbered something around six hundred out of a town population of eight hundred. Most of those were staying behind were too young or old to fight, or too jaded to believe that they would win. It would be a desolate Kakariko when they were gone.

The body of the Iron Knight was still lying in a heap of metal against the cliff face. No one dared to touch it, much less try to move it. Peliwin stood out clearly in the crowd, holding a strung bow in her tense hands and staring at the knight as if expecting it to jump to its feet and attack.

Among those staying behind, to Zelda's acute disappointment, were Bower and Rowen. "Sorry," Rowen told Zelda when she and her husband came to see them off. "Bower's still the headman, and I have a baby to worry about delivering, you know."

Zelda sighed. "I know. I would never ask you to put your baby in danger. I'll just miss your and Bower's support, is all."

Rowen gripped Zelda's shoulder firmly. "You will _always_ have our support." She stepped back with her husband, waiting at the gates to see them off.

Zelda turned toward the stairs that curved down from the mountain into Hyrule Field. She closed her eyes, letting the power of the Sage of Time flow out through the threads of space, reaching across vast distances to connect with the minds of her brethren, the sages. She felt their consciousness awaken to hers like flowers turning to the sun.

_It's time, _she told them all. _Are you ready?_

Her response was the sensation of energy flooding into her body from six sources, filling her veins and seeping through every pore in her body until she shone like a star in the night sky. She felt the now-familiar feeling of being grasped and pushed into the recesses of her own mind by unseen hands as the Sage of Time took control.

_Three hours! _she thought desperately at the Sage of Time. _Three hours is all we should need!_

She sagged as the sage completed its task, losing consciousness before she hit the ground.

* * *

The jostling beneath her caused Zelda to wake, and lifting her head she found herself stretched out on a horse's back, lying against its neck–_Demon,_ she thought blearily. People were moving all around her, a vast crowd of them trudging along in tense silence. Abruptly memory returned to her, and Zelda realized where they must be–in the midst of Hyrule Field.

She sat up so suddenly that her head spun and ached, and she fell back against Demon's wonderfully solid neck. A touch on her knee drew her eyes downward; Link walked beside her. "You okay?" he whispered, gazing up at her worriedly.

Zelda nodded wearily, a movement that started the spinning and vertigo again. "I've been better," she admitted, "but I'll live." She looked around again, searching for any signs of lurking enemies. "Did it work?"

"Apparently," Link said in a terse whisper, pointing to a dark shape about fifty feet away that the travelers were carefully avoiding. Squinting carefully at it, Zelda made out the shape and quickly looked away. It was one of those creatures, the horrible emaciated skeletons that had attacked her, Link, and the thieves on their last visit into Hyrule Field, frozen stiffly in place.

She glanced up. The sky was storm-blackened and covered with clouds, but none of those clouds were moving, and no rain poured down. Not a breath of wind stirred the frozen grasses. The only movement was hers, Link's, and that of the hundreds of townspeople who had come with them into Hyrule Field.

The Sage of Time had apparently done its job, and not without consequences. Zelda felt entirely drained of energy. She sank down onto Demon's neck again and tried not to move.

For about a quarter of an hour they migrated in silence, then at last Link touched Zelda's knee again. "Look!"

Zelda raised her head. There ahead of them, situated on a low hill, was their destination–the desolate, abandoned Lon Lon Ranch.

It took the strength of ten men to push open the enormous wooden gate to the ranch, shut so long that it was stuck in place. Once the gate was open, Link, Zelda (supported by Link's arm around her waist), Valan, and the two sages entered alone to inspect the premises. 

The ranch was much larger than any of them expected. Rauru created a sphere of light to hover before them, lighting their way through the dark ranch. A short path from the gate led between a barn and a house with all its windows boarded; the light flickered eerily over the rotting wood-planks of the two buildings, casting ominous shadows. Beyond the house and barn was a large, open field in which horses or cows must have grazed–it was the perfect size for training. 

All in all it wasn't bad, Zelda thought as she gazed around the dreary, abandoned ranch. As a fortress she had her doubts, but there _was_ a tall stone wall surrounding the premises–that was a start. There were no sign of stray monsters in the ranch, which meant that the wooden gates had kept them out for all the years it was abandoned. They could build watchtowers around the wall and station sentries as an extra precaution.

Once satisfied that the ranch was safe, Impa went back to the gate to let the Kakariko townspeople in. They streamed into the large field beyond the house and barn, chose a section to square off for themselves, and began to erect the many tents they'd brought with them. Others went around and stuck standing torches into the dirt, lighting the ranch with a flickering orange glow. Zelda sat with her back against the side of the barn and watched, Valan at her side. "They're taking up a big portion of that field already," she said worriedly. "When the others come they'll take up even more space." 

Valan shrugged. "We can have 'em collapse their camps every morning and stow 'em away in the barn. Then we'll have the field back for training."

"What if we can't fit everyone in here, though? This place is big, but with hundreds of people from all over Hyrule–"

"Zelda!" The call was Impa's from her post at the gates, just as Zelda's consciousness awakened to the presence of another sage.

"It's Nabooru!"

Valan helped Zelda to the gate to greet the newcomers. Nabooru had told Zelda many were coming, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight of at least a hundred stony-faced Gerudo, many bearing naked scimitars in their hands, marching single-file into the ranch. "Farore's mercy," Zelda said weakly. "I never thought so many would desert Ganondorf."

"Told you," Nabooru said cheerfully, joining Zelda, Impa, and Valan at the gates. "People are loyal to men like Ganondorf because they have to be. If someone offers them another choice..." She shrugged.

Zelda spotted Azura's face among her Gerudo sisters. Their eyes met briefly–Zelda hesitated, then nodded in greeting. Azura returned the nod, her face expressionless.

That made about seven hundred now crowding the ranch, Zelda totaled quickly. She wondered how many more they would have to pack in.

Valan and Impa went to help the new arrivals get settled, leaving Zelda and Nabooru at the gate to wait for more arrivals. "So what happened that made you decide to move us all to Hyrule Field, of all places?" Nabooru wanted to know. "You seemed pretty spooked when you contacted us."

"An Iron Knight attacked Kakariko," Zelda told Nabooru quietly.

Nabooru's eyes widened. "Farore's mercy," she whispered, blood draining from her face. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. It attacked during the night, while we slept." Zelda shuddered. "Only Link knew it had come. He held it off at the town gate, then Blue finished it off."

"The dragon? Where is she anyway?"

"With Ronin, I expect. The Iron Knight injured him and he had a concussion. But he's going to be fine."

They talked about the resistance as they waited for more arrivals. Zelda learned of the Gerudo's secret meetings at the Desert Colossus, the site of Nabooru's own temple, the Spirit Temple. The Gerudo were a proud race, not easily given to near-enslavement by anyone, especially a man–even if that man was one of them. Support for the resistance had been unexpectedly enthusiastic, especially with Azura there to remind the women of the brutal massacres of her twin and many other Gerudo sisters. If Ganondorf had intended those murders as a fear tactic he clearly had the wrong idea; rather than averting rebellion among the Gerudo, he had merely laid kindling to their slow-burning anger.

Over the next hour two more groups arrived–first Darunia, leading a mixed group of Gorons and Hylians to the ranch. The Gorons were quite friendly, their Hylian counterparts less so. They were a silent group, staring unabashedly at Zelda as if silently measuring her as their future queen. Oberon was among them.

"Miss Zelda!" he cried delightedly, flinging his arms around her. "Lovely to see you again! You were well-missed," he informed her with sincerity, grinning a white-toothed smile. Zelda hugged him back, despite the protests from her worn and drained body.

"Good to see you again, Oberon," she said quietly, smiling.

Ruto, with Parcleus in tow, arrived next. Zelda couldn't help staring in fascination at the people with her–it was a tribe of true, blue-blooded Zora, the first full-Zora aside from Ruto that she'd ever met. They were a terse, silent tribe, walking awkwardly as if they hadn't quite mastered the use of their legs and looking rather out-of-place on land. They carried no weapons, but Zelda could see from the shimmer of their sharp-edged fins that they didn't need any. They were slim and graceful, built for darting through the water, and they walked naked.

"Hello, cousin," Ruto greeted Zelda in her prim, dutiful way, though she clasped Zelda's hands with warmth. 

"Hello, Ruto. How are you?" Zelda inquired politely. 

"Well enough," Ruto said airily. "Rather tired. And is this our new headquarters?" she asked, casting a critical eye about the ranch. "Well, let us see about this..." She followed her Zora tribe inside to inspect the ranch, leaving Parcleus behind.

"'Lo, Miss Zelda," Parcleus said in his usual gloomy tone, giving Zelda a brief, one-armed hug once Ruto was out of sight, which Zelda returned.

"How have you been? Did Ruto ride you with a whip and chain?" she asked him, suppressing a grin while Nabooru snorted with laughter.

Parcleus ducked his head as if embarrassed, though Zelda caught the small grin curling his lips. "She was interesting company, Miss Zelda," he said meekly before heading inside the ranch to find the other thieves.

Zelda and Nabooru continued to wait at the ranch's gate. Darunia and Ruto joined them once they'd gotten their people settled. "How's the space situation?" Zelda wanted to know.

Darunia grimaced. "Crammed like sardines in a jar. Can't move your elbow without poking somebody's eye out."

"Maybe we can expand the grounds," Nabooru said thoughtfully. "Knock down a portion of the wall and rebuild it with more space."

"We could attempt a ward once we are restored to our full power," Ruto suggested. "Perhaps we should have some of our people sleep outside under magical protection."

"Oh? And would _you_ like to sleep outside, princess?" Darunia asked shrewdly.

Zelda listened with only half an ear as the sages bickered over plans for more room, aware that the hours of her time-freezing spell were wearing thin. They were down to the last half hour, and still there was no sign of Marek, Rune, Dagger, or Saria. 

As another quarter of an hour wore by with still no sign, she found herself praying. Ten minutes...five minutes..._please, Goddesses..._one minute...

A great thunderclap signaled the end of Zelda's time spell; the heavens opened and rain poured down in great icy sheets, and still there was no sign of her thieves or Saria. 

"They'll be here," Nabooru assured Zelda quietly, though she sounded unsure.

They waited. And waited. The sages had ceased their discussion; they were probably praying, Zelda knew, for the safety of Saria and her thieves, though she hardly thought it would help at this point. She couldn't pray anymore. She could merely watch the field beyond the gate, hands clasped, waiting.

Then suddenly through the rain came a glimmer of light–Zelda jumped to her feet, heedless of the pounding in her head, squinting through the darkness of Hyrule Field. "What in Din's name...?" Darunia muttered. The three sages were tensing beside her; she could feel them summoning what was left of their power in the suspicion that the light heralded an enemy.

But it didn't. It couldn't. The shimmering, flickering light spoke of purity and hope, permeating the darkness around it. As the light drew closer the sages felt it too; their power receded.

"Impossible!" Nabooru suddenly gasped. Saria, Marek, Rune, and Dagger had appeared through the rain, leading a group of silent, shadowy people that could only have come from Hylia City. 

A thousand glittering fairies streamed over their heads, lighting the path to Lon Lon Ranch.

* * *

To be continued.


	36. Fairy Magic

A note from the Hime no Argh herself— 

At last getting myself around another bout of writer's block, I find writing is going extremely well for _The Destined. _In fact, it draws closer and closer to the end. I don't know when the next update will be, depends on whether the writing continues to flow. 

Oh, and to a certain person (you know who you are), _please_ stop pestering me all the time for updates. It's extremely irritating and puts a lot of pressure on me, especially when I'm at a very crucial and difficult part of the story. I would hold off on posting even longer just out of irritation, except that there are other people waiting for this story. I post when I feel it's safe to post and I never take more than a few weeks to update (usually much less), so try to have a little patience.

***

Chapter 36

Fairy Magic

With the arrival of Saria, the remaining thieves, a few hundred citizens of Hylia City, and over a thousand fairies to light the ranch with their shimmering glow, Lon Lon Ranch suddenly seemed much more cheery. Though Zelda had never seen a fairy in her life, except for the much larger and more powerful Great Fairy, she knew that these tiny spheres of pure light could be nothing else. Some were pure white, while others were tinted red, green, and blue. She watched them as they soared through the ranch in awe, unable to think of a single word to say, before being accosted by Rune and Dagger.

"Ow," Zelda gasped as the two slammed into her in a hug that started the vertigo again. "I'm happy to see you too–but–"

Marek came to pry the two girls gently away from her. "C'mon, you're going to crush her. Nice to see you again, Miss Zelda," he added with a grin. 

Dagger had tears in her eyes, but she glared at Zelda with her hands on her hips and demanded, "Have you been taking care of yourself properly? You look as white as a ghost "

Zelda gulped in several deep breaths to try and get her head to stop spinning. "I'm okay," she assured them once the vertigo was under control. "The spell I did to freeze time–it took a lot out of me."

"That's what Saria said it would do," Rune informed her tearfully. "We were _worried_ about you "

"As I was about you," Zelda assured them quietly, sliding an arm around Dagger's shoulders. "How did it go in Hylia City? I notice you brought a lot of people. You didn't get in any trouble, I hope?" she added worriedly. 

The three exchanged grins. "We decided to just be ourselves," Marek told Zelda with a broad smile. "We went back to the old life–robbing everyone we passed."

"We traded a lot of our loot on the black market," Dagger explained, "and while we were trading we talked. About you, about the plan to overthrow Ganondorf–turns out a lot of people were interested in what we had to say."

Rune shrugged. "You know how Hylia City works. It's like a sieve, everything that goes in gets sifted through. Before long the entire city was whispering the rumors we'd spread."

"It wasn't any trouble finding secret places to meet and talk," Marek added. "I don't think Ganondorf has as good a hold over that city as he'd probably like to think."

"All the same we were glad to leave," Rune confided with a shudder. "Talking about the Black King makes everyone sweat. It was a big relief when Saria came with the fairies."

"Speaking of, where did she _find_ these fairies?" Zelda asked in amazement, staring around at the glittering swarm.

"In the depths of the Lost Woods," was Saria's calm reply. The young sage had come to join in the conversation. "They hid themselves so well that even their cousins the Great Fairies thought they had disappeared from Hyrule. But they answered the Forest Sage's call. And there is something else I have to show you, Zelda."

Marek, Rune, and Dagger went to find their fellow thieves in the dense crowd in the horse field while Zelda followed Saria toward the barn, where the travelers had stored what little belongings they brought to the ranch. Saria had left her things outside, around the far side of the barn where they were hidden from passing eyes. She had brought a sole item–a large clay bowl, etched with mysterious runes and filled to the brim with clear, pure liquid, shimmering with a silvery glow not unlike that of the fairies. Zelda stared into the bowl, frowning. She had seen liquid like this before.

"What is it?" she asked Saria.

The Forest Sage smiled mischievously, knelt beside the bowl, and passed her hand over it. The silvery glow brightened until it was almost blinding–then suddenly a shape began to rise from the pool, taking on form and detail.

"Nayru defend me," Zelda whispered in amazement as the Great Fairy of the Lost Woods materialized above the clay bowl. 

"She will purify this place," Saria informed Zelda. The Great Fairy smiled on them benevolently, shrouded in mist and silvery light. "The fairies will help. They'll guard your soldiers in the war and give them comfort on the battlefield. They'll be strong assets."

As if taking her cue from Saria's words, he Great Fairy began to rise through the air, up and up, until she hovered far above Lon Lon Ranch like a lone star shining through the darkness. One by one the fairies rose with her, a thousand tiny points of light against the brilliant glow of their great cousin. Below, sages and thieves, warriors and rogues, all dropped what they were doing to stare upward in awe at the spectacle. 

The light of fairies and Great Fairy combined into one, then shot up into the sky like a brilliant silver arrow, piercing the swirling mass of clouds. The black thunderclouds retreated as if fleeing the great light, revealing a calm twilight sky dusted with stars over Lon Lon Ranch.

"I told you they would be strong assets," Saria said peacefully.

*           *            *

The fairies were a welcome arrival, especially after they and the Great Fairy had purged the land around Lon Lon Ranch, eliminating the possibility of an enemy attack. With the Great Fairy's assurances that no harm would befall them, half of the soldiers were persuaded to camp outside the ranch's walls, Link among them. 

Rather than pitch a tent, he opted simply for a blanket on the ground. The thick grasses of Hyrule Field would make the perfect mattress. He laid an oiled canvas down on his site to keep off the wet, then built up a small fire. 

"This is cozy." Link glanced to his right to see Saria smiling at him. A white fairy was hovering beside her head. "Mind if we join you?"

"Not at all," Link said politely, making room for the sage. She crouched beside him, gazing at the fire, while the little fairy zipped around Link's head. Saria grinned at them.

"Link, there's somebody I want you to meet." She indicated the fairy, bobbing excitedly in midair. "This is Navi. Navi, meet Link."

"Hello!" the little fairy cried in an enthusiastic, high-pitched voice. "Nice to meet you, Link. We'll be working together!"

He blinked up at the tiny sphere of light, now zipping back and forth over his head in excitement. "Working together?"

"Navi has agreed to accompany you in your battle against the Black King," Saria informed him. "She'll help you."

Link winced at this. "Um...little fairy, I don't mean to sound rude, but we're talking about Ganondorf here. I don't see how you can help me, to be honest."

Navi did not seem at all offended. "Don't worry " she squealed. "I'll help lots, you'll see "

Saria caught Link's eye and grinned mischievously. "She did seem eager for the job."

Link sighed. "You couldn't hire the Great Fairy instead?" he asked in an undertone.

"I heard that!" Navi squawked indignantly.

*           *            *

Saria eventually retreated back within the ranch, but the little fairy seemed content to stay near Link's side, sometimes drifting off to explore his neighbor's campsites, then returning and perching on Link's shoulder or on the top of his cap. Her presence wasn't bothersome, so Link resigned himself to his new fairy companion.

It was night, and everyone was tired–the camp soon fell quiet, inside and outside the ranch. Link watched his fire burn lower and lower, preoccupied with thoughts of the coming war. Since the Iron Knight's attack, danger to their side had become so much more tangible, so real. It would not be long before they were forced to meet their destinies.

_Which side is destined to win this time? _Link silently asked Farore, his own patron goddess. _Who will it be in the end?_

A rustling close to him made Link reach for the hilt of his sword, but glancing behind him, he saw that it was Zelda, picking her way carefully through quiet campsites to reach his. "This is cozy," she remarked, just as Saria had done, squatting next to him before the fire. Link noticed that Navi had conveniently chosen to disappear.

"The sages are cleaning out that old house, making it habitable," Zelda went on. "I helped for a while, but I don't think I really want to sleep there. It looks like the sort of place that'd be haunted." She shuddered.

Link caught her wrist and tugged her down beside him. "Stay with me, then," he suggested, holding her gaze with his own.

Zelda stared at him with an unreadable expression for a few moments, then abruptly looked away. "Link, we need to talk," she half-whispered.

He let go of her wrist immediately. "I don't like the sound of that."

Zelda smiled sadly. "You'll like it even less when you here what I have to say." She took a deep breath and began talking, explaining all that Impa had told her when she was drawn aside on the road to Kakariko. She talked fast, without stopping, as if by letting out the words quickly she could make them any less painful.

There was a long silence between them when she finished. At last Link said, very quietly, "So that's why you've been avoiding me."

Zelda nodded miserably. "She's isn't right, is she?"

"Maybe she is." It took every ounce of Link's strength to keep his voice steady. "Maybe she isn't. I don't know. I'm not a monarch."

"Neither am I " Zelda cried harshly.

He caught her by the wrist again and pulled her into his arms, feeling her shoulders shaking with repressed sobs. She curled her fingers into his tunic and clung hard. "Damn the goddesses and whatever divine notion made us Destined," she wept bitterly, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Damn their cycle, damn their balance! We are–we are made to suffer for a fate that will only repeat itself, and for what? "

Link had nothing to say that wasn't pointless. He could think of a million arguments, hundreds of people he could damn, but none of it would help. Holding Zelda was like holding water in a sieve, and she was slipping away from him, little by little.

She stayed with him that night, but neither of them slept. It was strange, Link thought, that before this night he'd have given everything to have the score settled and done with Ganondorf.

Now he could only think that whatever happened, something precious would be lost.

*           *            *

Training commenced once more under the watchful eye of Valan and his commanders-in-chief. The old general no longer had to estimate their numbers and skills in his nightly battle plans with Impa and Rauru. The new additions all had some kind of battle experience, from the mountain tribes of Gorons and Hylians, for whom attacks from bandits and highwaymen had been a regular occurrence, to the Gerudo, who were trained from the cradle in combat with their deadly scimitars. The emigrants from Hylia City fought with stealth and precise skill, especially the Hylia women, who could not walk through the streets of their own city without fear of being raped or kidnapped and sold on the black market. Darunia and Nabooru helped in the command and training of the soldiers, and even Ruto fought with her Zora, who used no weapons other than the razor-sharp edges of their fins.

Saria became Valan's his eyes and ears in the field, observing the training and taking note of the troops' progress and their strengths and weaknesses in battle. Several fairies enthusiastically took up the task with her. Zelda often accompanied Saria as well when she didn't have training of her own to do, getting to know a new set of future subjects and allies. She observed their training, tried her hand at weapons she had no experience with, such as war axes and pole arms, and struck up conversations with veterans, criminals, wives, apprentices. People were wary of her at first, or openly doubtful that a woman like her could become a queen.

The presence of the fairies, however, changed everything. No one could help being affected by the joy and gladness they spent wherever they went. Even the most tight-lipped Hylia City rogue could find himself enthusiastically describing his family, his dreams, and his reasons for fighting the war with Zelda when a fairy hovered nearby. The soldiers worked hard and long through the day and enjoyed one another's company late into the night. More and more often Zelda was invited to join a fireside in the evenings, particularly by Peliwin and her mixed circle of new friends from all corners of Hyrule. 

The longer they trained and honed their skills, hidden safely away in the ranch in the company of sages and fairies, the more confident the soldiers grew about their chances in a war against Ganondorf. The only ones who didn't share their enthusiasm were Zelda and Link.

Link trained with every weapon he could get his hands on these days, from the crack of dawn until long after twilight had fallen, while Zelda was busy with Valan and the sages. They barely spoke throughout the day, but she could not keep herself away from his campsite at night, knowing that no matter what the outcome of the war, these were their last days together.

She continued to sit every battle plan that she could, listening as Valan, Rauru, and Impa slowly planned an attack against Ganondorf. They knew that sieging and successfully capturing the castle-fortress in the far north was their primary objective. It was the major source of Ganondorf's power, where he ruled and where the majority of his army was stationed. Impa, who could pass unseen through shadows, visited it firsthand. She reported a great stone wall surrounding the castle-fortress, while the structure within was laid with numerous evil enchantments. It was Impa's opinion that Ganondorf had become complacent in his decades of rule; few sentries patrolled the wall, and it was crumbling in areas beside the gates and watchtowers, obviously not well-cared for. A surprise attack could be done.

Azura was invaluable in helping them estimate the numbers they were up against. As Ganondorf's underling she had visited the castle-fortress several times and seen what lay within. Based on Azura's reports, they counted roughly three thousand opponents. They all paled at the thought. Ganondorf's troops outnumbered them three to one.

Yet, as Azura pointed out, nearly three quarters of Ganondorf's troops were monsters or evil spirits summoned to his service. Without his evil to sustain and control them, they would easily fall. 

"Then the most important thing is to get Link inside Ganondorf's castle-fortress," Zelda offered quietly. "Unless he destroys Ganondorf, our army doesn't stand a chance."

Valan and the sages agreed. With the sages to bless and guide Link, they believed he could get past the spells and evil enchantments that would undoubtedly be protecting the fortress. Any physical enemies he would have to fight on his own. Knowing that Link was honing his skills every moment of every day, that he could beat Impa two times out of three and was almost always too quick for Valan, that he had not merely the sages and a fairy to bless him but the power of the goddesses within him, Zelda tried not to think about the possibility that he once he was inside Ganondorf's fortress, he might never emerge.

*            *            *

They continued training throughout the weeks, and under Valan's command Zelda saw the roughly one thousand soldiers living within and around the ranch become a skilled, well-trained army prepared for a battle against Ganondorf's forces. As the weeks wore on, as training fell into a routine that many could go through in their sleep, as battles became as well-planned and detailed as they could, Zelda sensed that everyone was waiting for a signal from her–a call to war. 

For the first time, she understood why Valan had been so unwilling to serve as her general. She understood the terrible, crushing pressure of having to send hundreds of soldiers into war, and hundreds more into death. She knew that she was stalling longer than was wise. She knew it was selfish and cowardly of her hold back the command that needed to be given. She knew this, but it didn't make her any less afraid. 

On a day that dawned cloudy and gray, she wandered to the training pitch around midday to watch the sword combat. There was a circle of onlookers grouped around the pitch, and Zelda soon saw the reason–Link and Impa were preparing to duel again.

The two took some time to limber, then at last stood facing each other in a cleared area of the training pitch. Zelda felt Peliwin, who stood beside her in the audience, tensing as the two bowed to one another and crossed swords. 

Impa was, as usual, the first to attack, but Link was too quick for her. He skipped easily out of the range of her sword and darted in when she stumbled, off-balance, forcing her to stagger back as she thrust blindly to deflect his sword. They exchanged a flurry of block and blows; Zelda could see that Link was teasing Impa with a series of short, quick jabs that forced her to continue defending instead of focusing on offensive maneuvers. Impa growled at him and lashed out with fists or feet when she thought he was unguarded, but Link was not about to be caught by those. It amazed Zelda to see how much better he'd become in a few short weeks.

At last Link got serious. Hooking his sword beneath the hilt of Impa's, he gave a quick, sharp turn of his wrist and the sword flew from the Sheikah's hands, landing beside them in the dirt. Before Impa could move, the tip of Link's blade was pressed lightly against her throat.

Peliwin let out a whooping cheer as Impa grinned, shaking damp hair out of her eyes. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

Link ducked his head modestly and sheathed the Master Sword once more as the crowd began to disperse. Impa bent to retrieve her sword, and as she straightened, her eyes met Zelda's with an undercurrent of meaning that Zelda understood perfectly.

She waited as the others returned to their own training or other tasks. The white fairy who always accompanied Link these days was zooming excitedly around and around his head, squealing about his victory over Impa. At last Link reached up and caught the fairy gently but firmly in is his fist.

"I'm happy you're happy," he told her, "but if you're going to keep flying around in circles, can you please do it somewhere else? You're making me dizzy, Navi."

In response the fairy slipped out of his hand and zipped beneath his cap. Link sighed and grinned at Zelda, looking at her for the first time. "For something so small, she sure has a lot of energy."

"She does," Zelda agreed. "Congratulations on your match, by the way. You fought really well."

Link looked at her with an uncommonly serious gaze. "We've got to do it soon, Zelda. I'm ready for him."

"I know," she whispered, her mouth dry. "I'm scared. It's going to mean the end of everything."

Link met her eyes levelly. "And the beginning."

She knew he was right, though it didn't make her duty any easier. One night about a month after the migration, however, Zelda realized she had waited too long.

*           *            *

To be continued.


	37. The Call to War

A note from the Hime no Argh herself— 

This chapter is looooong, hope you like it. The muse and I are taking a break from writing right now, but I suppose I'll get going again sooner or later. This week is insanely busy for me, mostly with various fraternity functions to attend. The best part is, this Friday I'm going home for the weekend. As it will be the weekend before my birthday (actual date is April 15th) I'll be celebrating with my family and best of all, going to a spa on Saturday. I desperately need the relaxation.

***

Chapter 37

The Call to War

She was sure she was dreaming, yet knew also that what she dreamed was entirely real. Zelda stood in the square in the middle of Kakariko Town and all around her, everything burned. Fire climbed the walls of shops and homes, leapt from building to building to consume everything in its path. She felt the burning, dry heat raw on her skin, the sting of fiery embers. Screams and cries of terror and agony reached her ears. The sky overhead was blackened with smoke.

The scene changed. Now she stood in the foyer a house she recognized. A man was nailing planks of wood across the door, barricading himself inside. In the corner a woman crouched over an infant's bassinet. 

"What are you doing, Bower?" Rowen yelled over the baby's screaming, her face bloodless and her eyes wide with fright. "If the fire reaches us we'll be trapped inside!"

Bower whirled around, shaking damp hair out of his eyes. "The fire's on the other side of town." His face, too, was pallid, but his voice was quite steady. He strode across the foyer, scooped the screaming infant out of its bassinet, and handed it to Rowen. "Take Rowena down to the cellar and barricade yourselves in the weapon storage. Don't come out unless everything is quiet, you understand?"

Rowen shook her head, clutching her daughter close as she gazed, wide-eyed, at her husband. "I won't leave you! If he comes–"

"Go!" Bower shouted, his calm demeanor evaporating. "He'll murder you both, don't you see?! I'll hold him off, so get downstairs, _now!"_

Rowen shuddered, then turned and walked into the next room without a backwards glance.

The foyer evaporated, and the scene changed once again. Now Rowen crouched in a corner of the empty weapon storage facing the bolted door, holding her whimpering infant in her arms. It was unnervingly silent, all outside sounds muffled, except for an occasional shriek or a far-off, distant boom like the explosion of a firecracker. 

Suddenly from upstairs came several loud, booming raps. Rowen tensed, clutching her daughter closer. There was silence for a few seconds, then a loud crash like an explosion that shuddered through the house. Dust fell from the ceiling. A man's yell, abruptly caught off, then a thud like a body hitting the floor. Rowen gave a sob and a shudder, tears streaming from her eyes. All was silent once again.

Then there was more thudding, slow deliberate footsteps. Rowen went rigid, face bloodless, trembling all over. A door creaked open above them, and the footsteps thudded down the stairs to the cellar. Rowen bit her lip, utterly silent, as if she dared not even breathe. Even the infant was silent, as if she too sensed the immense danger just beyond the bolted door.

The door crashed open, striking the wall, and a shadowed body fell across the threshold. Rowen screamed and leapt to her feet at the sight of her husband, bloodied and dead, sprawled across the cellar floor. Her scream turned into a high-pitched, animalistic shriek of terror as Ganondorf stepped carelessly over Bower's limp body, stooping slightly beneath the low ceiling. Little Rowena began to wail at the top of her lungs. 

Ganondorf struck Rowen across the face with the back of his hand, abruptly cutting her off. The woman slid silently to the floor as though her legs could no longer support her weight, gazing rigidly up at the Black King. The infant continued to scream, refusing to be silenced.

"You are not who I hoped to find here," Ganondorf remarked to Rowen, his deep voice audible even through Rowena's wails. "But I know that they have been here. I can smell them," he added with a terrible grin. Rowen made a small, choked sound.

The Black King reached down and wrenched the infant from Rowen's arms; she immediately began to scream louder than ever. Rowen leapt instinctively for her child, but Ganondorf struck her again in the ribs, knocking her off her feet with a stifled cry of pain. She raised herself shakily onto her elbows, spitting blood onto the floor.

Cradling Rowena gently in one arm, Ganondorf reached for a long, slender dagger at his belt. Rowen shrieked and struggled to stand again, but Ganondorf kicked her once more in the ribs and she fell back to the floor, coughing up more blood. 

"There is something I want," Ganondorf said calmly, pressing the dagger against the infant's throat.

*           *            *

_"NOOOOOOOO!"_

Zelda flew into wakefulness, shaking and sweating, Rowen's anguished scream ringing through her ears. Link bolted upright beside her with a strangled cry, his face bloodless and shining with sweat. Throwing the covers aside, he crawled to the edge of the canvas and vomited into the grass.

Zelda pressed her hand to her mouth, suppressing a surge of bile as her stomach fought to expel the contents of her dinner. She could not get the dream out of her head–the infant cradled in Ganondorf's arms, Rowen's terrible scream, the blank look on her face as her daughter's corpse was thrown to the ground before her. Her stomach surged again, and she fought against it with severe effort.

Link fumbled for the water canteen, took a large mouthful, and spat it out into the grass. He swallowed the next mouthful and looked up at the sky. "Why?" he demanded in a weak, shaky voice, his face ghost-white. "Why did you show us that?!"

The camp around them froze. No one's chest rose and fell in sleep; no peaceful snores could be heard. Even the clouds drifting eerily across the moon had hung motionless in the sky. Then out of the stillness, two young girls–no more than sixteen each–rose from a camp on their right and walked toward them. Their faces were slack and expressionless, their eyes blank as they halted and looked down upon Link and Zelda.

_"At this very moment, Rowen is making her way across Hyrule Field to this place," _one girl spoke in Nayru's terrible, thunderous voice. _"Ganondorf placed a ward on her so that none of the monsters roaming the plains can touch her. He wants her to reach you. He wants you to know what he has done."_

_"He means to lure you out," _Farore added quietly, speaking through the second girl. _"However, he knows not of the numbers you have amassed in your support nor what you intend to do. Now is the time, before he commits any more evil deeds."_

_"Ganondorf is an abomination," _Nayru said flatly. _"You have seen the repercussions of his actions. He will be stopped. This is _your_ task, and you have waited too long. You will do your duty." _

They knew the goddesses had fled their mortal vessels when the two girls slumped gently to the ground, deep in sleep. Time moved around them once more, evident in the stirring of the wind and the snores of sleeping soldiers.

Link and Zelda stared at one another, speechless.

*           *            *

Neither one of them slept that night. Link and Zelda went out in the field to search for Rowen, armed with all the weapons they could carry and accompanied by Impa. She absolutely refused to let them stray beyond the realm of the Great Fairy's protection.

"If Ganondorf has indeed sent Rowen to us, he'll want her to reach us in one piece," Impa said firmly. "The goddesses told you he placed a ward on her, correct? She'll reach us safely."

"How can you be so cold-hearted?" Zelda argued furiously.

Lightning sparked in Impa's eyes. _"You_ chose to wait this long," she said coldly. Zelda bit her lip until it bled, looking away.

It was in a terse silence that the three waited, beneath a cold, clear night sky. The only source of light was the moon and stars, as well as Link's white fairy, who hovered nervously over Link's head. Zelda waited, eyes cast forward into the gloom of Hyrule Field, stomach rolling each time she thought of the Kakariko nightmare. All the while her heart thudded in her ears, her blood ran cold, and a voice screamed over and over inside her head, _your fault! Your fault!_ She had caused this. Her stupidity, her hesitation, her cowardice, had killed Rowen's husband and infant child. She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been, to not even think of the possibility that Ganondorf might go after Kakariko again.

How could she face Rowen ever again? How could she face herself?

When Rowen at last appeared out of the gloom, she looked as though a part of her had died. Her gait was slow, staggering, and halted, and there was a terrible emptiness to her dark eyes–where once they had sparked with energy and wicked humor, they were now dull and blank. She reminded Zelda of a porcelain doll.

Rowen looked at the three of them as they looked back at her, stunned into silence at her appearance. Her knees buckled violently, and she slumped toward the muddy ground, but Link was abruptly at her side, catching her in his arms and lifting her off her feet with infinite tenderness and care. Impa hurried forward to check the woman's breathing and vitals.

"She's fine," Impa said after a few tense moments. "She's just fainted, I think."

Somehow Zelda found her voice. "Let's get her back to the ranch."

They took her into the ranchers' house and tucked her gently into one of the beds. Rowen's eyes flew open, and she grasped Zelda's wrist, fingers tightening painfully. "I've got to tell you–" she gasped.

"I know," Zelda said as gently as she knew how. "You don't have to say anything."

Rowen's dark eyes searched her face. Then the woman nodded; her eyes fluttered shut, and she dropped back to sleep.

A soft knock on the door made them all jump. Saria entered, staggering under the weight of the clay bowl that housed the Great Fairy, five red fairies trailing in her wake. As Impa took the clay bowl from her and set it on the floor, Saria glanced up and met Zelda's questioning gaze.

"Healing fairies," she said, gesturing to the red fairies. "They and the Great Fairy will ease her pain, as best they can."

Zelda knew she didn't mean external pain. As the red fairies drifted over Rowen's sleeping form, Zelda found that she needed to get out of there. She fled the room and the house, out into the dim, foggy morning.

It was an hour or so till dawn, and nearly everyone was still sleeping. Zelda picked her way carefully through tents and bedrolls to an uncluttered sector of the horse pitch, where the archery targets were set. She picked one, strung her longbow with practiced ease, and sat a quiver brimming with arrows at her feet. She set an arrow to nock and fired almost blindly, grimacing as it struck well outside the bull's eye.

"Something ruffling your nerves?" a voice intruded. Zelda glanced to her right to see Rauru leaning against the wrought-iron fence ringing the horse pitch. Something about his bearing and the gleam in his sharp blue eyes told her he knew exactly what was on her mind.

"You've heard already?" Zelda fired another arrow with shaking hands, which missed the target altogether.

"Hard to miss it when you've got a swarm of fairies flying around, spreading the word. Ganondorf attacked Kakariko, did he?"

Zelda's hands shook so badly that she couldn't nock the next arrow. Stuffing it angrily back into the quiver, she turned toward Rauru. "Yes, Ganondorf attacked Kakariko. And I don't need you to tell me whose fault that is, because believe me, I know."

Rauru raised his eyebrows. "Why would I blame you?"

"Spare me," she snapped. "Ganondorf attacked that town to draw me out. If we were already at war with him he wouldn't have done it. People are dead because of me."

Rauru sighed. "You know, in the first year of her official reign, your mother had to deal with an uprising of Gerudo who were still loyal to Ganondorf," he remarked. "They wanted revenge for the defeat of their king. There were too few of them to attack the Hylian Kingdom outright, so your mother failed to heed their threats. But the Gerudo came north anyway, and slipped into the castle town under the cover of dark. They broke into people's homes and murdered them in their beds.

"Your mother was criticized harshly for not heeding the warning signs. People were upset, naturally; they'd lost family and friends in the Gerudos' cowardly attack. Some even went as far as to say that she was unfit for rule."

"What did she do?" Zelda asked, engrossed despite herself.

Rauru shrugged. "The only thing she could do. Sent a squad after the Gerudo. Caught 'em about halfway across Hyrule Field. Killed those who resisted and brought the survivors back north for justice. Not everyone was appeased, of course, but your mother learned to live with that. There was always someone around to criticize. 

"We like to think our monarchs are perfect, you know. It isn't comforting to think anything else when our lives are in their hands much of the time. But you're human, Zelda. So was your mother. And humans make mistakes."

"My mistake cost dozens of lives," Zelda said quietly. "Not to mention an innocent baby's."

"You couldn't have known that Ganondorf would go after Kakariko just to draw us out." 

"I _should_ have known," she insisted stubbornly.

Rauru sighed. "All right, you should have known. Next time you will. No one can change the past, Zelda. All we can do is move forward." He watched her, sharp eyes fixed on her face. "So what are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can do." A strange, icy calmness was settling over her mind. She was seeing the world in black and white; seeing the difference between what she wanted to be done and what had to be done. She supposed this was how a queen always saw the world, or needed to. "We'll have three days to rest and prepare. Then we go to war."

*           *            *

Although not unexpected, the call to war was still a shock to those who had grown adjusted and almost comfortable to life in the ranch. For Link, the shock came twofold. He'd known it was coming, known especially after the attack on Kakariko. But when Navi the fairy found him the morning after Rowen's arrival, and relayed Zelda's order, his heart momentarily stopped beating.

It was time to go to war. It was time for him to face Ganondorf.

Like most others, he accepted the news quietly. He was a soldier now. His life no longer belonged to him; it belonged to the queen he served and the land he fought for. He would fight in service to Hyrule, face Ganondorf in service to Hyrule. That was his ultimate task.

Mandatory training was halted. The brief respite felt like the calm before the storm. Most continued to practice with their weapons under their own discretion, Link included. It helped to keep busy, because every time he thought about the coming battle, he had the sensation that something very large was trying to fight its way out of his stomach. 

Over the next three days, he didn't see Zelda once. He suspected she had secluded herself away from everyone, waiting for the battle on her own terms. Although he wondered if his presence would be any comfort, he wanted to be at her side.

He too, experienced a sort of seclusion. Soldiers who had once scornfully labeled him a scrawny, green boy incapable of harming a fly suddenly ghosted around him as though he were someone to be awed and revered. Link knew what that was about. It was bad luck to wish either blessings or curses upon the one in whose hands your life rested. 

The day before the army's march north to Ganondorf's castle, Valan summoned Link to the ranch house. Navi accompanied him, as she always did these days. All of the sages were there, excepting Zelda, seated around a table in the main room. Valan gestured for Link to take a seat and sank in the one across from him with a sigh. "Nayru defend me," the grizzled general muttered, cricking his neck from side to side. "I told her I was too old for this."

Darunia clapped Valan on the back. "One more battle, old man, then you can retire."

"In a grave, likely," Valan retorted dryly. His good eye, sharp as ever, scrutinized Link from head to toe. "I know it's too late to back out now, but I want to hear it from your own lips—are you ready to take on Ganondorf?"

Link nodded, licking dry lips. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"The burden of this entire war falls primarily on your shoulders," Saria said quietly. "It is likely that without Ganondorf, a number of the enemy troops—the monsters and spirits among them—will fall. They must fall. Our army, as you know, is outnumbered three to one."

"And if Ganondorf isn't destroyed, we'll all be slaughtered like spring lambs," Rauru said bluntly.

"The plan is this," Valan began. "We know that Ganondorf's northern fortress is walled in, with a single gate. This is an advantage to us because it limits the number of enemy soldiers who can attack us at once. We don't intend to siege the castle, but rather to draw them out to us."

"Ganondorf will accept the challenge," Impa said quietly. "His recent attack on Kakariko shows that he is just as eager as we to be finished with this rebellion."

"We need every man and woman that we have against them," Valan said, his eye sharp on Link's face. "When a lull in the fighting comes, you must make your move. You'll be on your own; I can't spare a single soldier."

"How am I going to get in if the gate is blocked by soldiers on both sides?" Link demanded.

Valan shook his head. "You expect me to know? You'll have to figure it out on your own."

"Navi will help!" the little fairy piped up excitedly. "Fairies are great at finding small places to squeeze through!"

Impa's lips twitched. "There you go. Navi will save the day."

Saria smiled serenely. "Are you fighting?" Link asked her, concerned for the childlike sage.

"In my own way, yes. We'll all be lending a hand."

"Aren't you a little too young to be fighting a war?"

Saria tittered with laughter. "I'm older than you!"

Valan shrugged. "I don't like it any more than you do," he assured Link. "Rotten, dirty thing, forcing women into war—"

"You're not forcing any of us," Impa said tartly. "We're fighting because we want to, and because you need us. Don't cast us off as the weaker sex when your own queen is very much a woman."

"I didn't mean it that way," Valan protested, but Link had another worry.

"What about Zelda?"

The sages exchanged significant glances. "We've come to the agreement that it'd be best if Her Majesty stayed out of the fighting," Ruto said delicately at last.

"Only no one's told her yet," Nabooru added dryly.

Link groaned. "She's not going to be happy about that."

"Too bad for her," Impa said brusquely. "We can't afford the risk when she's the sole living heir to the Hylian Kingdom. Hyrule will be no better off without her than it was with Ganondorf. If she dies, everything that we've done will be in vain. She will absolutely not be allowed to fight."

"And if she doesn't like it, I'll chain her to the nearest tree," Valan growled.

*           *            *

Night blanketed Hyrule Field, and the stars came out, glinting coldly in a velvety sky. A great silence fell over the ranch, as though everyone were afraid to speak in tones above a whisper. Passing many camps on the way to his own after a long, tiring bout of sword combat, Link heard many muttered prayers to the goddesses. He hoped that the mutterers found comfort in their appeals.

He himself could not pray; would not pray. He didn't see what good it would do. What came tomorrow would come, no matter how he beseeched the goddesses. The goddesses were mere spectators now; the fate of Hyrule was in the hands of the mortals who inhabited it. 

He stretched out on his canvas in the grass and counted the stars overhead, waiting for sleep to come. Navi hovered protectively nearby, and he found her light comforting. So, he thought, was her company. Any company was welcome the evening before a war. 

A hand suddenly gripped his wrist; Link bolted upright before his eyes found Zelda's in the darkness. She placed a finger to her lips, a mute plea for silence. Wordlessly he drew her into his arms, kissed her everywhere, and made love to her with a passion he knew would never die, no matter how many years he lived, no matter how long he was apart from her.

He held her mutely, without sleeping, without speaking, in the long hours of their last night together.

*           *            *

To be continued.


	38. First Wave

A note from the Hime no Argh herself—  
  
Hm. The beginning of the end.  
  
***  
  
Chapter 38  
First Wave  
  
Zelda stood on the vast hill that was soon to become a battleground, gazing at the sight of Ganondorf's northern castle, just visible on the shadowy horizon. If she didn't know better, she would have thought the goddesses decided to play a trick on her and her army. The day was perfectly clear, not a cloud in the sky and a fresh breeze blowing across the stagnant Hyrule Field. The sun seemed to have chased away the monsters normally roaming the field, or maybe it was the sight of her vast army as it made its way north in a great wave of grim-faced soldiers and glittering weapons. What a fine day for a war, she thought wryly.  
  
She turned to look at the army assembled behind her. Together, they looked vast, though her mind coolly reminded her that they were still outnumbered at least three to one. Link, Valan, and the sages were all in the front line. Valan and Rauru were glaring at her. The old men clearly meant their threats to forcibly restrain Zelda if she attempted to take part in the actual fighting. When they'd told her the evening before that she would absolutely not be allowed to fight, she'd wanted to tear her hair out in frustration. After all the planning, all the training, all the pain that she and her people had suffered, they wanted her to sit on the sidelines while her people fought and died. It was more than she could bear—and yet, she understood their reasoning.  
  
Her eyes traveled over the crowd behind her, picking out the faces of her friends and those she'd come to know in Kakariko and Lon Lon Ranch. Three of her thieves—Cleo, Marek, and Rune, best with a bow and arrows—were in the front line with the rest of the archers. Peliwin was there, gripping her bow in a white-knuckled fist, her eyes steely. Ronin was armed with a small recurved bow, his steel feather sword, and a broad smile, as though this were a tea party and not a battle they were about to plunge into. Blue stood at his side in her human form. She was unarmed, but Zelda knew from experience that she didn't require a single weapon.  
  
Here was a Goron, the best of his people with a bow, whose entire family had been slaughtered by Ganondorf before his eyes years ago. A hard-faced former prostitute from Hylia City, whose tapestry of scars slashed across her back told her life story without words. Princess Ruto and Parcleus, who'd mutely taken on the role of her guardian. Azura, who would have revenge for her sister at last today. A thousand others with their own stories and histories, their own reasons for fighting. Somehow Zelda found her voice.  
  
"There's a lot that I've thought about saying," she began, her tone level yet carrying over the silent crowd, a trick of the voice Impa had taught her. A faint muttering told her that those in the front lines were relaying her words to those in the far back. "I'm not really sure what to say on a day like this. I think it would be—cheap, I suppose, to make a grand speech of victory when there have been so many losses." She licked dry lips. "And when there will be many others."  
  
The silence, broken only by soft rustling whispers, weighed as heavily on her shoulders as the stones of Death Mountain. "We all know why we're here. This is our sole chance to take Hyrule back from the Black King. Even if we win today, it will take the work and healing of ages, I think, to restore Hyrule to its former state. Our chance is not great. But we have a chance, and that's what counts. We have the chance to fight for our friends, for our families, for the people we've lost, for the goddesses and for the land of Hyrule itself."  
  
She remembered something Link had once relayed to her from Bolo. "This is everyone's war," she said, voice catching briefly. "Everyone has their reasons for fighting. No one here is without one. So remember those reasons, because whether we win or lose, live or die, we will still know in our hearts that we fought back."  
  
She looked at Valan, suddenly terribly weary and drained. "General Valan, I hereby issue the command to march in war against Ganondorf."  
  
"YOU HEARD HER!" Valan roared instantaneously. "TO BATTLE, IN THE NAME OF HYRULE AND THE QUEEN!"  
  
"IN THE NAME OF HYRULE AND THE QUEEN!" the army echoed as one, weapons raised.  
  
Valan drew an enormous broadsword, different from the one Link had broken yet just as big, and leveled it at the distant castle on the shadowy horizon. "FIRST WAVE, FORWARD!"  
  
Zelda mounted up behind Impa on a prancing white stallion. The Sheikah was to take Zelda to the back lines, then rejoin the fighting. Impa wheeled the stallion about as the archers began to march forward under Valan's command, down the long hill to Ganondorf's castle.  
  
Zelda squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that threatened to tear her apart.  
  
* * *  
  
Link's heart thudded in his ears as he followed after Valan among the front line of soldiers on the long march to Ganondorf's castle. There were no sounds save for the clanking of weapons, the snorts of horses and the ragged breathing of men and women now fully committed to battle. He patted Demon's neck, more for his own comfort than the horse's. The gelding was a solid, reassuring bulwark beneath him. Navi flew before Demon's nose, as though leading the way.  
  
The castle loomed ahead, a massive structure surrounding by a great wall built haphazardly of boulders piled on top of one another at the height of ten men. Its single gate was made of thick, slightly rotted wood and flanked by two watchtowers from which fires burned, as though beacons to guide the army's way. The structure that rose far above the wall was more a tower than a castle, with a single black turret that jutted into the heavens, surrounded by thunderclouds. A chill of dread shuddered through him at his first view of the northern castle.  
  
As they drew closer, the perfect blue of the sky gave way to gray clouds; a light drizzle began and grew steadily harder. A writhing shape in the corner of his eye and a sudden gust of wind caught Link's attention; he turned his head in time to see Blue the dragon rise majestically out of the ranks of soldiers, wings tearing through the rain. Her bloodcurdling war cry shook the very earth, a shriek of rage and bloodlust.  
  
If they haven't noticed us yet, they will now, Link thought, staring hard through the rain at the castle for signs of life.  
  
The distant creak of mechanisms long gone to waste reached their ears; Valan threw up an arm and the army halted in its tracks. A stretch of approximately five hundred feet separated them from the wooden gate. It groaned and creaked as it rose, opening with excruciating slowness to reveal darkness beyond.  
  
Now dark shapes were emerging by the hundreds, spreading like a swarm of ants to form a line roughly the breadth of the opposing army's. More shapes appeared along the top of the walls, undoubtedly armed with bows and arrows. It probably took the better part of an hour, but to Link it seemed mere minutes for Ganondorf's army to complete its formation. Looking at the mass of enemy soldiers, Link swallowed hard. Valan and Impa's estimations were correct; they were vastly outnumbered.  
  
Valan kicked Thunder, his great warhorse, into action. He wheeled and galloped the length of the front line, barking orders.  
  
"ARCHERS AT THE READY!"  
  
Link reached for his bow, already strung, and the quiver of arrows handy at Demon's flank.  
  
"NOCK ARROWS!"  
  
He drew a long-shafted arrow with a razor-sharp head made for punching through armor, and set it to nock.  
  
"TAKE AIM!"  
  
He raised his bow to the sky, drawing the string back to his ear.  
  
"FIRE!"  
  
He released the string with a soft thwap; hundreds of arrows whistled through the air in a great curving arc to plunge into the midst of the enemy army.  
  
Valan galloped back to the center of the front line, drawing his broadsword and lifting it high above his head. "FORWARD!" he roared, spurring Thunder to charge.  
  
Demon surged forward before Link could direct him in a full gallop down the long stretch to the enemy army. Link listened to the thundering of hooves and feet against the earth and the panting of men and mounts, and let those sounds fill him until there was nothing else, until all thoughts, worries, and fears were wiped from his mind. He entered a sort of trance, focusing only on what was before him. Now was the time to act, not think.  
  
A volley of arrows flew from the enemy side, whistling sharply as they tore through the air and into their midst. Cries of the downed and dying struck Link's ears; he continued forward, loosing arrow after arrow toward Ganondorf's army. A mount ahead screamed and hit the dirt with an arrow in its flank; Demon twisted around it without losing his speed and galloped for all that he was worth. Link's eyes saw the faces of his enemies from approximately fifty yards away—the faces of lizards and pig-like monsters, grinning skulls suspended on animated skeletons, even the grim faces of enemy men and Gerudo women. His cool, entranced mind saw only one face—the enemy. Then the armies, his and Ganondorf's, crashed together and he was in it, in the midst of a battle for the fate of Hyrule.  
  
Demon reared and struck an enemy soldier with his front hooves as Link shot another through the throat; he slung the bow over his shoulder and had the Master Sword in hand before Demon's hooves hit the ground. The gelding snaked around and between the press of bodies as Link cut a line through the enemy, slicing the scales of lizard-demons and gutting pig-men, the Master Sword sliding through the flesh of men and monsters with ease. The dirt underfoot was stirred by thousands of feet and hooves; dust coated the skin and throat, and the stench of earth and blood filled the air.  
  
A pair of lizard claws sunk into Link's thigh as his attacker attempted to drag him from his mount; a woman cut the demon down and in turn was gutted by a pig's spear through her belly. Demon wheeled and kicked, sending the pig-man flying. Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw Blue dive and snatch a pair of screaming men into her clawed talons. He cut through a skeleton monster charging an unarmed man; the man scooped the skeleton's war-axe into his hands and grimly attacked a pair of scimitar-wielding Gerudo. Link distantly hoped they were enemy Gerudo as he ran an attacker through. Demon reared and shied away from the blood-coated bodies of the two men Blue had snatched as they smacked into the dirt.  
  
A black-masked soldier attacked Link from behind with a scream of rage, armed only with a dagger. Link felt the dagger bite into his shoulder blade and score a razor line down his back before Demon wheeled to save him; the gelding screamed as the dagger bit into his flank. Then Impa was there, running the gasping man through with her short sword. Her eyes met Link's, scarlet with bloodlust, before she whirled and neatly beheaded a pig with the axe grasped in her left hand. Link yanked the dagger out of Demon's flank and stabbed it through a lizard's throat.  
  
"Damage?" he demanded of Impa as she pressed close to Demon's side, bereft of foes for the moment.  
  
Her eyes glittered. "I couldn't possibly tell you."  
  
Blue swooped overhead and caught an enemy Gerudo in her talons. We take heavy losses, she reported calmly to Link and Impa over the woman's dying shrieks. So does the enemy. Our soldiers fight hard and well. She dropped the dead Gerudo in the dirt. Link and Impa looked away as she dove for fresh prey.  
  
"Good luck," Impa panted. "Stay alive." She plunged back into the battle, gutting a human man with her sword and cleanly beheading a skeleton with her axe.  
  
Demon snorted at the pain from his bleeding flank yet struck where he could with his deadly hooves; Link too ignored the gash in his back and continued to fight. His side wasn't nearly finished.  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Darunia asked Saria, standing shoulder-to- shoulder with her on the hill overlooking the battleground, their eyes fixed on the castle wall from which arrows fell like rain into the midst of the armies. "It's going to hurt, isn't it?"  
  
"Oh yes," Saria said calmly. "But this is all that I can do." She closed her eyes, calling upon the Sage of Forest, and let her consciousness spread to touch every tree, every root, every blade of grass at the base of the castle wall. She poured into them every ounce of light and energy she had, and the plants of the earth, normally so calm and serene, sprang to life. Trees shot up into the sky, thrusting sharp branches in every direction; vines exploded from the earth, grabbing hold of the castle wall and twisting up and through the stones, tangling with branches that sprouted thorns a foot long or more. The vines and branches covered the wall, especially the archer posts, in mere minutes, consuming everyone and everything in their path. Through her plants, Saria heard the shrieks of men and monsters as they were covered in vines and pierced with dozens of thorns.  
  
She opened her eyes, staggered and fell into Darunia's arms, lacking the energy to support her own weight any longer. She looked up into the Sage of Fire's face with steely eyes.  
  
"Do it," she said, and squeezed her eyes shut.  
  
Darunia silently begged forgiveness of the tiny sage in his arms, focusing his own energy within. His was the heat and fire of an immense volcano, with none of Saria's serenity. It took no amount of coaxing to transform his fire from a lick of flame at the base of the wall to a blazing inferno. Fire exploded up the trunks and vines; Saria shrieked and writhed in his arms as her plants burned.  
  
"Forgive me," Darunia whispered helplessly. The fire was doing its job; burning relentlessly through the rain, it devoured the enemy soldiers that the plants had missed, burned the wooden gate and threaded along the dry vines and branches, it set the entire wall ablaze with an immense orange glow.  
  
Saria contorted violently; Darunia held her tightly and prayed that his fire didn't kill the sage.  
  
* * *  
  
A long, low horn blast sounded over the battleground, and to Link's amazement there suddenly seemed to be much fewer enemies to fight. Ganondorf's soldiers broke and ran, fighting their way back to the castle wall, which was a blazing inferno. Link paused to stare at the immense blaze in awe and fear. "Goddesses above," he whispered. Who had the power to cause such a fire?  
  
When his fellow soldiers might have pursued their enemy, Valan came charging through the battle ground on his great black warhorse, barking orders. "ABANDON PURSUIT! RETREAT TO THE HILL!"  
  
Link kicked Demon into a gallop, following Valan. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded, panting, as Demon drew level with Valan's horse. "Why did the enemy retreat?"  
  
Valan waved an arm at the blazing wall. "They don't put that out, the entire castle's gonna go down."  
  
"So why are we retreating?" Link demanded. "Let's hit them while they're distracted!"  
  
But Valan shook his head grimly. "We've lost too many. We've got to regroup." He galloped away to round up their side and chase them to the hill.  
  
Now that the battle was over, Link was suddenly aware of the gash in his back and Demon's bleeding flank. He was exhausted, covered with dust and blood, his own and his enemies'. For a moment the battleground swam around him; he shook his head in an attempt to clear it, leaning against Demon's neck. Had he lost this much blood? The wound in his back hadn't seemed too serious.  
  
Navi suddenly appeared at his side, trailing another fairy, this one tinted scarlet. Link blinked at her, befuddled. "Oh, where have you been, Navi?"  
  
"Finding you a red fairy!" she squealed. At her words the red fairy flew forward to alight on top of his head, then dropped down over his shoulder. Link felt a sensation like cool water trickling down his back, and the pain of his wound abruptly stopped. Within moments he felt as clear and alert as ever. "What was that?"  
  
"A healing fairy! I knew you would need one!"  
  
Link twisted around to look for the scarlet fairy, but she had disappeared. "Where did she...?"  
  
"Probably went to see if she could heal anyone else," Navi replied sadly.  
  
With friend and foe deserting the battlefield, with the dust beginning to clear, Link what damage was wrought upon both sides. Bodies of monsters, men, and women lay everywhere like rag dolls, broken and bloodied in the dirt. He swallowed and slid from Demon's back, removing the cap from his head. "Aren't there any survivors?"  
  
Navi flew off, presumably to look, as Link took hold of Demon's reins and began to walk him back toward the hill. People on horses were moving carefully through the battlefield. Link saw some dismount to administer a mercy stroke on a dying friend or foe; very rarely, someone bent down to lift a wounded comrade onto his or her horse.  
  
Demon snorted softly at the stench of blood. It was everywhere. Pools of it lay beneath the broken bodies of the dead, their eyes blank and glassy as porcelain dolls'. Link felt his stomach roil and swallowed hard.  
  
"Link!" Navi's shrill voice called. Link looked around and saw her hovering over a fallen body some twenty yards away. Feeling the worse, he guided Demon as quickly and carefully through the battlefield as possible and froze. Azura lay at his feet, bleeding out of an enormous gash in her stomach.  
  
He dropped to his knees and felt along her neck with a shaking hand. She was alive, just barely so. Her pulse fluttered beneath her fingertips. Her eyes opened and met his.  
  
"Oh, it's you," she said wearily. Her voice was quite normal, although faint. "What goddess decided I should have to see you last thing before I die?"  
  
"You're not going to die," Link said automatically, though he didn't believe it. Azura laughed weakly.  
  
"Just my luck." Her laughter broke. "Dammit. I wanted to see his head on a pike. I wanted to have my revenge for her—"She broke off again, coughing. She leaned her head to the side and spat out a mouthful of blood.  
  
Link gripped her wrist. He didn't want this. It wasn't right that Azura had to die with only her old enemy for company. He said the only words he knew could possibly be of comfort to her.  
  
"I'll avenge Arjuna for you. I promise. I'll see him dead, for both your sakes."  
  
"You'd better," Azura growled. She broke into a coughing fit again, and for the first time showed pain in her face. Her head fell back to the dirt; she squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her jaw; Link felt her wrist shudder in his grip, then she was still. Her face slowly relaxed.  
  
He bent over her, gathered her limp body in his arms and lifted her over Demon's back. His eyes blurred with tears, but he blinked them back as he tugged gently on Demon's reins, leading him out of the battlefield. There would be a time to weep, but not until he'd fulfilled his promise.  
  
* * *  
  
Darunia bore a pale, trembling Saria and laid her at Zelda's feet—the first of many casualties. During the hour or so that the battle had raged, Zelda never knew time to pass more slowly; now, preparing for the tattered retreat of her army, time flew. She ordered the uninjured back to the ranch for supplies to set up a camp, then, her heart thudding in her ears with each step she took, she forced herself to the battleground.  
  
Impa intercepted her before she could get close, mounted on a small brown mare. "You don't want to see this, Zelda," she said bleakly. Zelda looked beyond her and saw a ruined field, cloudy with dust and smoke from the burning castle wall, strewn with weapons and what could only be bodies—the wounded, the dead, the dying.  
  
She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, aware that she was trembling. "Yes I do," she said quietly. "I was kept out of this battle. I wasn't allowed to fight. It's only respectful to look at the faces of those who died for my sake."  
  
Impa looked at her for a long time. Then at last she reached down to grasp Zelda's forearm and pull her up behind her in the saddle. "It's not going to be pretty," the Sheikah warned, nudging her mare into a trot.  
  
Zelda merely nodded. She couldn't possibly bring herself to ask the question foremost in her mind. She would just have to wait and see.  
  
They picked their way carefully through the quiet battleground, searching for signs of life, memorizing the faces of the dead. Zelda recognized far too many. A pair of dead Zora, lying half on top of each other, the edges of their fins darkened with blood. A Gerudo sister, cut to pieces, her head lying several feet from her body; Zelda couldn't tell whether the woman was hers or Ganondorf's. A carpenter from Kakariko who'd been the object of pursuit for all the ladies; his once-handsome face was bloodied and maimed. Peliwin, her body riddled with arrows.  
  
Zelda prodded Impa in the back to make her stop, not trusting herself to speak at that moment. She slid from the saddle and knelt beside Peliwin, covering the girl's wide, blank eyes with her hand and closing them. A sob tore from her chest, and she clenched her jaw, squeezing her eyes shut to hold back bitter tears.  
  
Impa waited until she'd composed herself and mounted once more. The search for survivors appeared to be abandoned; now injured soldiers moved through the field, gently bearing the bodies of their fallen comrades back to the hill upon which a camp was undergoing quick construction.  
  
Impa and Zelda returned to the makeshift camp. Valan awaited them, taking the reins of the small mare as the two women dismounted. "Our numbers are cut nearly in half," he reported wearily. Gone was his fierce energy and commanding air; bloodied by a long gash down his bare chest and covered with dust, he looked like so many of their soldiers—weary and haunted. "Darunia's not letting that fire go out, but we might lose Saria because of it. As long as it burns we can hope for a respite, but I don't think we can survive another round."  
  
Zelda nodded. She couldn't think about that now. "The dead?"  
  
Wordlessly Valan pointed. Hundreds of bodies were laid in a single row in the grass. Somehow Zelda forced her legs to move.  
  
More faces. Gorons, Gerudo, Zora, Hylians, Kakariko townspeople; faces she recognized, faces she'd never gotten to know, faces maimed beyond distinction. She saw them all, prayed for them all, hoped with all her heart that they found peace in the next life.  
  
A faint sobbing reached her ears; she looked down the line to see a lone figure seated in the grass, clutching a body to her chest and rocking back and forth. Zelda's blood froze in her veins. She knew before she saw either of the two figures.  
  
Dagger sat sobbing and holding Marek in her arms. The thief was chalk-white and covered in blood, limp and lifeless.  
  
Dagger looked up, her face streaked with tears. "He took a sword through the heart for me," she told Zelda, her voice breaking. "For me. Why? Why?!"  
  
Zelda's legs gave out and she fell to her knees, the tears that she had held back for so long sliding freely down her cheeks. Sobs turned to shrieks, then to howls. She clung to Marek and cried bitterly over Dagger's endless litany of "Why?! Why?!"  
  
It all seemed nothing when she shed so many more tears. Parcleus was gone, killed in Ruto's defense. So was Azura, dead without revenge for her sister. She saw Saria in the tent that served as an infirmary, wracked with pain and close to death as even now, the plants with whom she shared a part of herself burned. In the long day after that terrible battle, all grief and pain was as one. Such losses they had suffered, so many lives stolen that could never be replaced.  
  
As the sun slowly sank toward the horizon and shadows fell over the battleground, Zelda looked toward the castle, whose wall burned still despite the enemy's obvious efforts to quell the flames. Darunia's effort and Saria's sacrifice had bought them precious time, but the standstill would not last. That castle was manifest of all her fear, doubt, and dread, and she knew irrevocably that soon, this war would end before its gates.  
  
A hand touched her shoulder, jolting her from her thoughts. She spun and felt her heart leap into her throat at Link's warm blue gaze.  
  
"Hello, Zelda."  
  
She felt as though she'd died and been born again. In that moment when grief, pain, terror, and uncertainty threatened to overwhelm her, Zelda learned anew what hope meant.  
  
* * *  
  
To be continued. 


	39. The Secret Attack

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself—_

Ack, homework rains down. Essay after essay after essay, and did I mention finals in a few weeks? Then there's this fic, which I am still working steadily at, and is close—very close—to being done. Well, I'm on the homestretch now, so wish me luck!

***

Chapter 39

The Secret Attack

Night fell over the makeshift camp and with it silence, broken only by the muffled weeping of those mourning their dead. To everyone's regret, including her own, Zelda decided that they could spare neither the time nor the manpower to dig graves. She ordered a mass pyre built and the bodies burned. Rauru led the survivors in prayer for the dead as a torch was set to the pyre. Soon it burned with nearly the intensity of the castle wall.

Link knew Zelda was right in her decision to burn the dead. If they battled Ganondorf's forces again, they would need soldiers who were fresh and ready, not weary and discouraged from digging graves all night long. Still, forced to breathe the scent of acrid wood smoke and burning flesh, he wished that his comrades could have a better end. He sent a prayer to Farore for their safety, peace, and happiness in the world beyond death.

He didn't sleep that night, feeling no need to. Instead he spent the hours in a light trance, and at last, when the moon reached its peak in the sky, he woke from the trance with his body fresh, his mind alert, and all his senses focused one simple piece of knowledge: it was time to find Ganondorf. It was time to finish this war.

He rose without hesitation and went to the horse pen for Demon, Navi trailing behind him. After he'd finished saddling Demon, he looked up at the little fairy. "Listen," he said quietly, "now is when it all ends, one way or another. I'm going to find Ganondorf and I have no idea if I'll come back alive. If I can kill him that'll be enough, but I may not even get close. 'Dangerous' is an understatement. Are you sure you want to come?"

Navi didn't hesitate. "Of course I'm coming! You need me. I'll help, you'll see!"

"Okay." Link smiled and took Demon's reins in his hand. "Thanks, Navi. Let's go."

He turned. Zelda stood before him, blocking his way. 

For a long moment, the silence between them was deafening. "You're going, aren't you?" she asked quietly at last.

"Yes," he answered her levelly. 

There was another silence. She seemed to be struggling to find the right words to say. Link waited.

"You will come back?" she said at last.

Link let Demon's reins drop and moved toward her. "Zelda, I swear to you that after tonight, you will be a true queen." It was a foolish thing to promise, he knew. But he wanted her to have something to hold on to. "I'll kill him no matter what."

The tears slipped freely down her cheeks. "You _will _come back?"

He slid his arms around her and pulled her against him, pressing his lips against her hair. "I love you, Zelda."

"Don't say that!" she cried as he pulled away from her and went to grasp Demon's reins once more. "Don't talk like this is goodbye!"

He tugged Demon's reins gently and led the gelding past her in silence.

"Promise me that you'll come back!"

Link mounted Demon and kicked him into a gallop, riding hard and fast away from the woman he loved.

_"Promise!"_

He didn't look back.

*           *            *

The fire that blazed yet on the castle wall was a blessing hundredfold to Link. The blaze kept Ganondorf's forces so busy that they had no attention to spare for a lone warrior making his way toward the castle.

Demon was silent and swift as a shadow, approaching the castle at a wide arc. The fire was mostly contained to the area around the gate; even if it wasn't still blazing, Link could hardly have just strolled right in. He would have to find another way. 

Navi flew ahead of him to inspect a section of the wall that wasn't on fire while Link stayed well back with Demon, worried about any enemy soldiers possibly patrolling the top of the wall. In just moments Navi zoomed back, fairly shaking in excitement. 

"I found an opening!" she squealed. "I think it's for draining water into the moat. It looks big enough for you to squeeze through!"

Link nodded, not exactly thrilled. "This is it," he said, licking dry lips. 

Demon whickered softly, pushing against his shoulder. Link turned and gripped his reins, laying his forehead against the gelding's muzzle. "Listen, boy, I can't take you with me any further," he said softly. "Go back to the camp and look after Zelda for me, okay? Look after all of them."

Demon snorted. Link let him go, patted his neck and stepped back. "Get going," he said firmly.

The gelding reared with a loud whinny, then wheeled about and galloped back in the direction that they'd came. Link turned resolutely toward the castle. "All right, Navi. Lead the way."

*           *            *

Demon was an exceptionally bright young gelding who served an exceptionally bright young human. He understood the idea of friend and foe. He understood the concept of fighting to protect himself and those around him, especially the master who rode on his back. And he understood that a great herd of men and unnatural creatures creeping toward the two-legger paddock in the dead of night was very bad for the sleeping, defenseless men and women.

He watched the herd coming from the top of a ridge, every nerve quivering in fear and the excitement that comes before a fight. His master would know what to do, were he here. But his master had gone with the small fairy to the great stone stable. He had told Demon to look after his herd. It was up to Demon to save the two-leggers in the paddock. 

He wheeled about and trotted lightly away, trembling. The enemy herd must not hear him. He broke into a soft canter when he thought it was safe, then slid into a swift, silent gallop, fleeing like a shadow to the two-legger paddock.

He spotted the woman who was often at his master's side, whom his master had told him to look after. She would do. She was sitting in the grass with a faraway look in her eyes, but as Demon raced toward her, she snapped out of her daze, stood, and caught his bridle as he skidded to a halt before her.

"What is it?" she demanded in her language. Demon told her the best he could in his, with urgent whinnies and headshakes, pawing at the earth and rearing as far as permitted with her grip on his bridle. He tossed his head in the direction of the enemy herd, and she looked beyond him, down the long hill.

"Demon, what's wr—" She stopped abruptly. Her eyes became very large and round. "Farore's mercy," she whispered.

*           *            *

Link slipped and slid through a cramped drainage pipe full of slimy muck he didn't want to think about, emerging on the other side of the castle wall. Abruptly it hit him, and he froze. He was on Ganondorf's land now.

Before him was the most desolate place he had ever seen, including the desert in the west. What once must have been a flourishing castle town in the days of the Hylian Kingdom was now a ghost town, stretches of sparse, dead soil broken only by crumbled piles of wood, brick and stone that had undoubtedly once been homes. The sky overhead swirled with angry black thunderclouds and the rain that fell in a light, steady drizzle was dirty and gray. The soil permitted no plant life, and he saw no sign of a single living creature save for himself and Navi.

The silence pressed heavily on his shoulders. Link clenched his jaw and began moving, trying to ignore his growing terror.

"Keep your eyes peeled, Navi," he whispered. The fairy bobbed agreeably and flew on ahead to scout.

As Link wandered deeper and deeper into the ruined ghost town, his appreciation of Navi grew tenfold. The little fairy was a goddess-send. She directed Link's way through the wreckage, sought out the safest paths, and steered him well clear of enemy soldiers. Twice she stopped him just in time of walking right into Ganondorf's monsters.

He wondered why they didn't encounter more foes, but decided the burning castle wall must be keeping them busy. It too was a blessing, though he prayed fervently that Saria didn't pay for it with her life.

Outside the castle keep, he halted and fought back the incessant urge to turn and run and never look back. The great black castle towered into the clouds above, its doors thrown open in sinister invitation. Ganondorf was waiting.

"Navi?" Link asked softly.

"I'm coming," was her firm reply.

He nodded. There was no turning back now. On legs turned to lead he walked forward, into his destiny.

*           *            *

Zelda threw herself across Demon's back and hauled into an upright position, checking her balance without a grip on the reins. She would certainly need her hands free. She prodded Demon with a toe to turn him, then slapped her heels against his flanks. The gelding surged forward in a gallop as Zelda twisted around in the saddle to check the position of the enemy and take a head count. She counted roughly a thousand. One thousand sneaking in the dead of night on her approximately five hundred uninjured survivors, most of whom were asleep.

The sentry was snoring by his bellpost. Zelda kicked him sharply as Demon thundered past—now was the time for neither subtlety nor manners. The sentry jolted awake with a loud "oof!" and leapt to his feet.

"Sorry sir, was just having a little—"

"Wake up!" Zelda snapped. "Sound the alarm! The enemy is coming!"

The sentry gaped at her, open-mouthed. "Wha…?"

"RING THE DAMN ALARM! RING IT, _NOW!"_

The sentry snatched up his hammer and began pounding on the bell as Zelda kicked Demon into a gallop once again, racing off through the camp. All around her soldiers started awake at the ear-splitting clangs, leaping to their feet and blindly drawing weapons. 

"_Attack!" _Zelda cried as Demon thundered back and forth through the camp. "Arm yourselves, the enemy is coming!"

Zelda spotted Impa in the chaos and drew Demon up short. The Sheikah held her longbow and a quiver full of arrows. 

"Give me my weapons!" Zelda snapped. "That is an order!"

Impa handed them up to her without argument. "How many?" she demanded.

"A thousand. Where the hell is Valan?"

"Right here," the general replied, galloping up on his black Thunder. His broadsword was slung over his back; sweat stood out on his forehead. "This is bad."

"I know," Zelda said edgily. "Nothing we can do. Let's go!"

The three split apart. Zelda heard Valan's bellows as she galloped away and smiled grimly. He would get their soldiers into order.

She halted, nudging the tip of her longbow in the dirt and pressing down with her weight; she looped the string around the other end and selected an arrow. Squeezing Demon with her knees, she got him moving again as the first of the enemy arrows began to rain down upon the camp.

*           *            *

The interior of the castle was much like the desert citadel where he had first encountered Ganondorf—a labyrinth of stone corridors, dimly lit and far too quiet. He and Navi ghosted through the empty halls, matching the castle's silence. The hair on the back of Link's neck was standing straight up. They should have encountered _something _by now; the lack of enemies unnerved him far more than their presence would have.

He could see Navi quivering as she flew beside him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Are you?" she countered shrewdly.

Link shook his head grimly. Everything about this place was wrong.

They went steadily forward nonetheless. Link had the feeling that something was guiding him through the stone maze, but whether it was the goddesses or perhaps Ganondorf himself he didn't know. His nerves were humming; so was the Master Sword, naked in his hand. Navi halted in midair to peer down a side corridor.

"I think it's this way."

There was an opening straight ahead. Link stared at it, aware that the Master Sword was singing. His heart thundered in his chest as he moved resolutely forward.

"Link—" Navi caught up to him, exasperated.

"It's this way," Link informed her.

"How do you know?"

"I just do."

Navi fell silent at the firmness to his tone. Link's feet carried him forward as if they had a mind of their own. The corridor opened into a wide, empty hall, the floor underfoot black marble, the high ceiling supported by dozens of gray columns. A lone figure stood, silent and still, in the middle of the room.

*           *            *

By the time Ganondorf's sneak army reached the camp, its inhabitants had pulled themselves into some semblance of orders. Weapons crashed together with screeches of metal on metal as arrows rained from the sky. The horses broke free of their paddock and came to the aid of the human soldiers, screaming their own war cries. Zelda raced back and forth through the chaos on Demon's back, burying her arrows into enemy targets.

A terrible scream of fury echoed above them; Zelda winced as Blue swept down over the battle in her dragon form. The dragon gave the enemy soldiers something to fear; they remembered her razor-sharp talons and soul-killing rage from the battle that morning. Zelda saw a pig-man hurl his spear up at Blue; she dodged it by a mile and Zelda quickly shot the pig through the throat.

Demon screamed and reared as a lizard flew at them with a high-pitched screech. An arrow shaft blossomed suddenly in the lizard's throat, cutting off its cry; it fell to the dirt and lay unmoving. Zelda wheeled Demon about to see Rowen standing in the midst of the battle, fitting another arrow to her recurved bow.

Zelda gaped. "R-_Rowen? _What in Din's name are you doing here?"

Rowen leveled her bow at another enemy and loosed an arrow. "Did you really think I'd just hide in the ranch?" she said savagely, setting another arrow to nock. "After what he did to my family? After what that—that _bastard_ took from me?!" Her arrow bloomed in an enemy Gerudo's back. _"How dare you deny me my revenge?!" _

Zelda looked into Rowen's eyes and saw the same anger and determination that she felt. Ganondorf had attacked both of their people. They would fight for the deceased and to protect the rest, to the death if need be. Zelda nudged Demon close and held out a hand.

"Come on."

Wordlessly Rowen grasped her hand and let Zelda pull her up behind her in the saddle. "You shoot to the left, I'll shoot to the right," Zelda ordered.

"Got it!"

Zelda kicked Demon into a gallop once more. The gelding thundered through the camp as the two women grimly shot, drew, and shot again, burying their arrows into dozens of enemies. 

Zelda checked her inventory and found it lacking as Demon slowed, his eyes rolling, searching for anyone stupid enough to get within range of his hooves. "How are you on arrows?" she called back to Rowen.

"Not good."

Zelda unsheathed the dagger kept at the small of her back and slung her bow over a shoulder, nudging Demon into a canter. "Pick your targets," she said grimly as Blue swept by overhead, shrieking a war cry.

Then she saw it. The dust seemed to clear, the fighters to part, and her eyes found the creature making its slow, unstoppable way through the battlefield—an Iron Knight.

Her blood froze in her veins. The Iron Knight carried a giant spear in place of the usual war-axe, crowned with a serrated spearhead; she watched in frozen terror as it gutted a screaming woman who'd failed to get out of its range. Her fighters broke rank and ran. 

Rowen fired an arrow at the knight; it glanced harmlessly off its armor. The woman's vehement curse broke through Zelda's trance. She swung out of the saddle and scooped a dead pig's glaive off the ground, shaking so badly that she could barely hold the weapon. "Cover me!" she snapped at Rowen, trying to keep the terror out of her voice, and darted toward the knight. 

_"Are you crazy?!"_ Rowen bellowed, galloping after her. 

Blue swept overhead and dove down, fastening her claws into the knight's armor and wrenching away the chest plate. _Aim for the exposed flesh! _the dragon ordered as she banked and came back for another pass.

Zelda saw what looked horribly like a human torso before she swung the glaive up in a sweeping arc; the knight deflected it with the staff of his spear, flinging her to the ground as easily as though she were a rag doll. She rolled away just as the serrated blade of the spearhead struck the dirt where she'd lay and scrambled to her feet, gasping at the knight's strength. A hand grasped her arm and yanked her back out of the Iron Knight's range.

"You're going to get yourself killed, you idiot!" Impa snarled.

"Somebody has to fight that thing!" Zelda snapped back.

Rowen loosed an arrow; it struck the knight's torso. He roared and started toward Rowen and Demon as though the arrow were no more than a pinprick, but Blue dove again, striking from behind and tearing a deep gouge in its shoulder. The knight stumbled, off-balance, then whirled and hurled its spear at the dragon.

Blue shrieked as the spear tore through her torso and out her back; her wings gave out and she slammed into the dirt. 

_"NOOOOOOO!"_

Zelda didn't realize that she screamed; didn't remember that the Iron Knight possessed ten times her strength; she barely knew it when she attacked, but the knight swung a ham-sized fist and struck her collarbone with a sickening crack and a blaze of pain that turned the world upside down. She fell to her knees, retching, and found herself unable to rise again. She watched in a painful haze as Blue struggled to her feet, still impaled on the knight's spear and covered with blood, and attacked again, tearing through what remained of the knight's armor to the flesh beneath. Rowen fired arrow after arrow while Impa scooped up the glaive Zelda had dropped. The three surrounded the knight, striking and retreating, snake-like.

A shadow fell over her; she looked up into the grim face of an enemy Gerudo. She raised her scimitar, and Zelda let her eyes fall. With a broken collarbone she couldn't fight back; she could barely even move. In peace, she waited for the end.

But the blow never came. Zelda heard a soft _thwap_ and a strangled gasp and looked quickly up; an arrow sprouted in the Gerudo's chest. She grasped the shaft vainly, then her knees buckled and the woman collapsed into the dirt. 

Ronin stood some yards behind the fallen Gerudo, lowering his bow. The blood froze in her veins at the expression on his face; Zelda had never seen such terrible fury. He strode forward, yanking the feather from his hair and transforming it instantly to steel; Zelda shrank back as he passed her, heading directly for the Iron Knight.

When Impa feinted with the glaive, throwing the knight off balance, Ronin struck, driving the steel feather deep into the knight's abdomen and pushing up to the ribcage. Dark gouts of blood sprayed from the sliced torso, coating Ronin; Blue lunged in to lock her jaws around the knight's neck. It thrashed and shuddered in the death throes, then at last went still.

Blue released her grip on the Iron Knight's neck and staggered back. She grasped the spear in her torso and yanked it from her body, then instantly transformed to her human form. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed into Ronin's arms. 

A sensation on her collarbone like the light press of a cool hand and the presence of a red fairy beside her told her she was being healed. "Thank you," Zelda whispered as the pain receded to a dull throb and struggled to her feet.

Rowen, Demon, and Impa ranged themselves around Ronin and Blue as a sort of honor guard. The battle seemed frozen around them as Zelda staggered toward the circle. Impa gripped her arm, holding her back. "Let them be," the Sheikah said quietly.

Blue, she could see, was still alive. She stared unblinkingly up into Ronin's face, blood trickling from a corner of her mouth. Neither of them spoke aloud, but Zelda wondered what thoughts they shared, in this final moment.

At last Blue's eyes closed. She stiffened, then slowly relaxed. Ronin shifted to lay her gently on the ground, cupping her head beneath his hand. 

Zelda dug her nails into her palms into they bled, tears streaming down her face.

_Link, wherever you are, don't you give up until he's dead. For this life, and so many others._

She called upon the power the goddesses had given her, burning brighter than ever before in her sorrow and rage, and let it carry her consciousness away from the battlefield to find a lone, golden figure in the depths of Ganondorf's castle.

She, too, would have her revenge.

*           *            *

To be continued.

*           *            *

_The Destined Q & A_

A couple of chapters ago Mina-chan asked some questions that I forgot to answer, so I'll do that now.

Q: Would this be something like a generation 2, something after the Ocarina of Time storyline?

A: I'm not exactly sure what you mean by generation 2, but _The Destined _is set after the OoT storyline, and Zelda in _The Destined_ is the daughter of Link and Zelda in Ocarina of Time.

Q: Did you make up that theory of the Sheikah?

A: That they're shadows of whomever they serve? Yep, that's all mine.

Thanks for reading!


	40. Goddess

***

Chapter 40

Goddess

Link stood and stared at Ganondorf, his heart thudding in his ears. Navi quivered in midair beside him. Ganondorf was smiling.

"So, now it comes down to this," the Black King remarked amiably. "Tell me, boy, are you happy to at last meet your destiny?"

It suddenly occurred to Link that he was no longer afraid. A calm as deep as Lake Hylia settled in his soul. All his life had led up to this one crucial moment. This was where he was supposed to be. This was what he was supposed to do. 

"Yes."

The grin on Ganondorf's face broadened. His hand went to the hilt of his enormous black blade. "Then let's get this over with."

Link mentally took stock of the situation. He was in good shape for this fight, energized and prepared. "Navi, stay out of this," he ordered as he drew the Master Sword. "This is between him and me." _And I don't want you getting hurt,_ he added silently.

Navi obediently retreated to a far corner of the room as Link faced off with his greatest opponent. _This is it for me, goddesses, _Link thought with grim good humor, gripping the Master Sword tightly in both hands. _If I defeat him, and live, I intend to retire from being a swordsman. I'd like to die an old man asleep in bed—definitely not here!_

Ganondorf shifted, matching Link's fighting stance—feet spread, knees bent, shoulders low. Link eyed the enormous slab of black metal that Ganondorf called a sword, then watched his foe's chest. In all but the best swordsmen, a movement of the muscles in the torso betrayed an attack. Link did not intend to go on the offensive until he'd gotten the measure of his enemy. Ganondorf was taller, heavier, stronger—but he was a man, Link reminded himself. Men could be beaten, and Link had beaten his kind before. 

Unfortunately, Ganondorf was one of the best. Without warning he darted forward, faster than Link would have believed possible, swinging his great sword around in a horizontal arc. Sword met sword with a crashing din that Link felt in his teeth; both arms instantly went numb. He stumbled back, but Ganondorf wasn't through with him. On he came with quick jabs that forced Link to block again and again. The rapid blows drew shrieks from both swords and battered Link's body mercilessly; his arms shook with the effort of defending against Ganondorf's immense strength. 

Ganondorf swung his sword about in a great arc meant to cleave Link in two, but he dropped and rolled clear, scrambling to his feet as the Black King pursued him with slow, deliberate steps. "How long do you think you can last?" Ganondorf asked softly. "Even your predecessor couldn't hold out for long. Do you know what I did to him when at last he fell?"

Link readjusted his shaky grip on his sword and tried to block out Ganondorf's words. He would only get sick if he continued to listen.

"His friends would think—hope—that I cut off his head first. But I didn't." Ganondorf smiled a bone-chilling smile. "The head came last, you see. He lasted quite some time, considering the blood loss from his severed limbs.

"And then do you know what I did? I put the pieces in a box, and I sent the box to her."

"She never saw it," Link snapped in spite of himself.

"No, unfortunately she missed my little surprise. But what about _your_ Zelda, I wonder? How do you suppose she will like seeing _your_ body, bloodied and broken—"

Link lunged at Ganondorf's middle; the black sword shifted and Link swiftly changed his direction of attack—metal screeched on metal and the Master Sword bit into Ganondorf's forearm, scoring a bloody line up to the elbow.

Link broke and skipped away out of range of a counterattack. "So you _are_ a man," he taunted. "You can be hurt. And your blood is red, like everyone else's."

Ganondorf's eyes promised murder. He shifted his sword to his left hand, smiling. A chill prickled Link's spine—no one as angry as Ganondorf smiled.

"Come," the Black King whispered.

Link came. Now he was on the offensive, using every trick he knew to keep Ganondorf on his toes. He feinted, switching his sword from hand to hand to strike at an unprotected side—but Ganondorf was quick; his great sword kept up easily with Link's attacks.

_He's toying with me,_ Link thought, infuriated. He switched his sword to his right hand and struck; the black sword crashed against his, throwing him off balance; Ganondorf's fist struck his stomach. The breath exploded from his body; Link fell to his knees, rolled away, and vomited what little he had eaten in the past day on the marble floor.

Ganondorf raised his sword with a cry of triumph, but Navi was suddenly there, glowing brighter than ever as she blinded the Black King. "Little fairy, you vex me," Ganondorf snarled. Link felt, rather than saw, the wave of black energy that shuddered through the air; Navi retreated with a cry of pain.

Link struggled to his feet, livid. "You—"

He lunged and slammed into a wall of dark power. The world turned upside down, his ears roared and he saw crimson—he was in agony, he felt as though a hand were twisting his innards—

Then fresh pain bit into his chest and the world righted itself; Link fell to his knees once more on the cold marble. The agony that had twisted his insides had fled, and even the cold pain in his chest was fading away. The edges of his vision were darkening, blurring, as though a veil had dropped over his eyes. He put a hand to his chest, felt the blood pouring steadily from the wound that had gone to his heart, and knew that he was dying.

"I'm disappointed," he heard Ganondorf say as though from very far away. "You didn't last nearly as long as I'd hoped…"

Everything faded away; he was drowning in peaceful darkness. If this was dying, he thought vaguely, it wasn't really so bad…

But something was changing. He felt liquid warmth pour into the core of his being and spread outward through his veins. His vision and hearing were returning, but not the pain. He felt Navi hovering by the side of his head and knew that the warmth and energy were radiating from her—she was healing him.

"Navi—" he whispered.

"I'm sorry, Link." Her voice faltered and broke. The energy she fed him cut off abruptly; he caught her as her wings gave out.

"Navi!"

Her light was flickering like a firefly's; Link caught a glimpse of a tiny woman's body every time her light dimmed. "I'm not a scarlet fairy, you see," she whispered. "I can't heal naturally…so…I must give up my own life-force."

"Navi!" Link cried, cradling her small body in hands that shook. "Don't you die! Don't you dare die!"

"I'm sorry…I couldn't…help…"

Her light flickered and died. She was gone.

Gently Link placed her on the floor and rose, feeling very cold. His eyes met Ganondorf's. The Black King stood impassively, watching the scene unfold.

"The fairy gave her life in vain," he remarked. "Why don't you bare your throat now and end your sorrow?"

Coolness trickled down Link's spine. The Triforce of Courage flickered to life within him. He took up his sword once more and said quietly, "Come."

Ganondorf's lip curled. He strode forward, raising his sword over his head and bringing it down. Energy surged through Link's veins and into his sword as though it were an extension of his body. He felt an overwhelming sense of _rightness_; this was the moment. This was his time. He stepped forward, deflected the black sword with a sweep of his own and rammed his shoulder into his enemy's gut; Ganondorf staggered back and Link lunged, the Master Sword aimed at the Black King's heart.

Then Ganondorf, the castle around him, everything was gone. Link stood alone in endless blackness, the Master Sword quivering in his hand. He stared around him, trying to find something in the empty void. Was he dead after all?

The Master Sword _shrieked; _light exploded from the silver blade as a figure appeared before him, drenched in golden light. 

Din, the Goddess of Power, spoke. 

_"YOU DARED."_ Pain exploded inside Link's skull; he fell to his knees, hands clasped over his ears in a futile attempt to block out the goddess's voice. It was like the screeching of birds and the baying of wild dogs, great and horrible, pounding his body like an enormous hammer. _"IT WAS OVER FOR YOU, HE WAS SO CLOSE TO KILLING YOU, BUT YOU LIVED—HOW DARE YOU LIVE?!"_

It was agony. The voice was killing him. He would never get out of this alive; he was going to die here in the terrible presence of the third goddess.

_"Link!" _

He _felt, _rather than heard, Zelda's voice—felt her hand gripping his, her fingers weaving through his, her presence beside him. He felt rather than saw her crouched beside him; she was glowing with the pure white light that was her Triforce of Wisdom.

The presence of the goddess was no longer unbearable. Link felt his own Triforce awaken once more in response to Zelda's and warmth surged through his body, banishing the pain of Din's voice. He saw Zelda smile beneath the white light.

_"I'm with you."_

In unison they focused the power given to them by the goddesses, forcing it on Din. The goddess-figure blazed red with her own Triforce. _"MORTALS! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY YOU!"_

_"Nor will you defeat them, sister," _a new voice interjected. Link recognized Nayru's cold, forbidding tone, but didn't dare look away from Din. He and Zelda climbed to their feet, power combining through their intertwined hands. _"The balance must continue."_

_"You know the laws, sister." _That was Farore, warm and kind. _"We goddesses may not interfere directly with any mortal vessel other than our own. You had your chance with the bearer of your Triforce."_

_"LAWS ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN, AS IS THE BALANCE!"_

_"Then you have made your choice. Link," _Farore said, _"you know what you must do."_

Link tightened his grip on the Master Sword. "Don't let go of my hand," he warned Zelda.

_"Never,"_ she promised.

The two strode forward, power swirling around them. Din threw up a wall of fire, but the combined energies of Courage and Wisdom surged, breaking through it. The Triforce mark burned on Link's hands as he raised the Master Sword for one final blow.

Din turned to flee and struck a barrier that glowed silver with her sisters' combined power. She stumbled back with a shriek and Link struck, thrusting the Master Sword through the goddess's heart. Flames instantly enveloped her body and she disappeared in a blazing inferno, taking the Master Sword with her.

Link stepped back, gasping from the lingering heat of Din's fire. "Is she dead?"

_"No," _said Nayru. _"No mortal can kill a goddess. You have incapacitated her for a time, but—as the cycle turns—so shall her power be restored."_

"And what happened to the Master Sword?"

_"See for yourself," _Farore said gently, and the world dissolved around him. Abruptly he stood in the many-columned hall in Ganondorf's castle. His foe lay on the floor before him, the Master Sword thrust through his chest. Link gripped the sword's handle to pull it out. His stomach roiled at the gouts of dark blood, but he hadn't even the strength to vomit. He felt pounded all over, and at that moment wanted nothing more than to sink to the floor and join his enemy in rest.

Farore's warmth enveloped him and his surroundings dissolved once more; this time he materialized on his back in warm, sweet-smelling grass, the sky overhead a dazzling blue. 

Link smiled drowsily. "It's a beautiful day," he murmured to no one in particular, and went to sleep.

*           *            *

Sometime shortly before dawn, something came from the direction of the castle—most agreed later that it was like a soundless explosion. It rocked through the battlefield and instantly the enemy soldiers, men and monsters alike, burst into flames and died in agony. It seemed that service to Ganondorf carried a lifetime warranty, and without him to sustain them, his soldiers could not go on. "That's convenient," was Valan's only remark on the matter. 

The sun rose shortly afterwards in a clear sky over Hyrule Field and the castle, which in the dawn light was abruptly less menacing.

Ganondorf was clearly dead.

The survivors gathered at the crest of the hill, watching the castle for signs of life. "What do you suppose happened to Link?" Rowen wondered aloud. She had taken an arrow in the shoulder for the queen; her arm would remain in a sling for several weeks. "You don't think he…"

"No." Zelda smiled slowly, awakening from the stupor she'd gone into shortly before the fighting stopped. "He's alive. I know it."

Demon reared abruptly with a loud whinny. The gelding had been placed in the paddock with the other horses; now he broke into a gallop, leaping easily over the makeshift fence and thundering down the hill as the humans stared after him, open-mouthed. Zelda jumped to her feet and raced after him. The gelding skidded to a halt halfway down the long hill and nudged at something in the long grass.

When Link opened his eyes, his vision was filled with horse muzzle. He groaned and pushed Demon's muzzle away, wincing as he sat up. He felt as though he'd been pounded all over by hammers; his back was one giant ache. "I'm all right, boy," he murmured as Demon nudged him again, "no, really—"

"Don't look so worried, Demon, your master's all in one piece." Link shielded his eyes against the sun so he could look up into Zelda's face. She smiled tremulously at him and offered a hand. "Right?"

He grinned and put his hand in hers. "Wouldn't be much of a Destined if I wasn't."

Zelda laughed as she cried, hugging him tightly and briefly before pulling away to examine him carefully. "You look well enough," she offered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Look at me, I'm the one all in pieces—"

"Link!" Impa, Valan, and—to Link's surprise—Rowen, joined the reunion, all tired, haggard, and worn. Impa shook her head at him in wonder.

"You did it. I can't believe you actually did it."

"It wasn't easy," Link admitted. "Not at all. If it weren't for Navi—" His throat closed up. Zelda squeezed his hand, and the others nodded at him wearily. They all understood.

"So it's finally over," Valan said slowly, staring at the distant castle.

"Are you joking?" Zelda demanded. "It isn't anywhere _near_ over. Ganondorf's reign has torn this land apart; now we have to put it back together."

Feeling dead on his feet, Link asked, "Do you mind if we start putting it back together tomorrow? I really need a good, long nap."

*           *            *

The price of their victory against Ganondorf's forces was high. The sneak attack on the camp the night Link had fought the Black King resulted in many more casualties, Navi and Blue included. Saria survived, just barely. She attended the funeral services for those lost in the war leaning against Darunia, looking as withered as any one of her plants that had burned the castle wall. 

The first thing Zelda did after the services were over was say goodbye to the four sages from the past—Rauru, Nabooru, Ruto, and Darunia—and send them back to their time. By some miracle they'd all survived—though perhaps that too was a part of fate.

Zelda's army remained at their camp in Hyrule Field for several weeks. Once the soldiers had a chance to rest and recover, Zelda ordered squads to the castle in shifts, to sift through the ruin and clean out any lingering enemies. Once the castle was clear, the camp moved onto the site. Carpenters came from Kakariko and stonemasons from Death Mountain; others were seen walking the grounds with parchment in hand, sketching blueprints. It was clear to anyone with eyes that Zelda planned to build a new castle on the site of the old one—her castle. 

Over the weeks, visitors trickled in from all corners of Hyrule. They were people who knew not only Zelda and Link's names, but the names of their close friends and allies and all the deeds they'd accomplished. Word of Ganondorf's death had spread astonishingly fast throughout Hyrule; his hold over the various regions and the people who inhabited them quickly collapsed. Now people came to see this woman with a claim to the Hylian throne, to speak with her and learn her intentions. Some stayed to make new homes and lives for themselves in the rebirth of the Hylian Kingdom.

Several weeks after Ganondorf's defeat, Zelda sat on a chunk of marble in a makeshift courtyard, formed by the ruin of the Temple of Time. She had found it a few days ago, upon searching for a place where she could seclude herself briefly from the constant stream of visitors, meetings with her friends and advisors, and lessons from Impa on the history of Hyrule and the Hylian Kingdom. She thought she was the only one who knew about it, until Ronin found her there.

"Well, Majesty, I'm off," he announced, adjusting the bulky pack on his shoulder as though for emphasis. In the weeks since the war, he'd put most of his effort into helping the carpenters who had already begun laying the new castle's foundation, and never spoke of Blue.

"You're _leaving?" _Zelda said unhappily. "But why? Why won't you make your home here with us?"

Ronin smiled gently. "It's in my name, Majesty. I'm a wanderer, no more. So it's time for me to wander again, I think." He bowed with a flourish in his old way. "Farewell to you and your kingdom, O Queen of the Hylians. I'm sure we'll meet again."

Zelda watched him as he walked away, biting her lip. "Ronin," she blurted, "Blue, she—"

Ronin turned back to look at her, his expression unreadable.

"She really loved you, a lot," Zelda whispered. "And…I'm sorry she had to die for my cause."

Ronin smiled. "I told you she loved the dragon form, didn't I? She was a big showoff. She would have wanted to go out in a blaze of glory. Besides, she liked you. I'm sure it was worth it to her."

He gave a two-fingered salute, then turned again and left, with a friendly clap on the shoulder for Link, who had appeared in the courtyard.

Zelda smiled ruefully once Ronin had gone. "Guess it's not a secret courtyard anymore."

"I followed Ronin here," Link said, approaching. "I've been looking for you."

Zelda indicated the slab of marble on which she sat. "What for?"

Link took the offered seat beside her. "I wanted to thank you," he explained seriously. "I never got the chance. You saved my life back there, in that place with Din."

"Oh, Link, don't thank me for that, please," Zelda said, distressed. "You saved _all_ of our lives. We wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you."

"But I never would have succeeded if you hadn't helped me," Link pressed. "Din would have killed me if our powers hadn't combined." He paused momentarily. "You feel it, don't you?"

Zelda nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. On that day when their Triforces had mingled and combined against the Goddess of Power, she'd felt Link's heart beating within her own breast. To this day, she always knew where he was, if he was in pain, if he was happy or sad or angry—and she suspected he knew these things of her. It was as though their spirits had mixed along with their Triforces, and it was both wonderful and terrible to know that she was closer than she had ever been, closer than she ever would be to anyone else in the world, to this man she still loved so desperately.

As though Link read her thoughts—and Zelda wouldn't be surprised if he had—he asked abruptly, "Is this it for us? Is it really over?"

"It has to be," Zelda whispered. "You know that."

Link grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him, searching her eyes with his own. "Does it really?" he asked softly. "Is there really no way we could make it work?"

She clenched trembling hands in her lap. She'd known this conversation was coming; that didn't make what she had to say any easier. Still, she owed it to Link, and she made herself look him in the eye as she replied. 

"I understand now why my mother never married. It wasn't that she didn't love my father, or that she was pressured out of it or something like that. She had another love." Zelda swallowed. "It was this land. This kingdom. Her people, the Hylians, and all of Hyrule…she knew her duty to them, and she did it because she loved them all. It was a love that was greater than her love for my father.

"I finally understand that kind of love. Link, you mean more to me than I can say. But having fought this war—after all the sacrifices we've made to overthrow Ganondorf, I now realize something. I love Hyrule too, and its people. Everyone who fought for us, and died for us." She thought of Azura, Marek, Parcleus. Rowen's family. Blue. Countless others. "Everyone who is still alive, trying to make their way." She thought wistfully of her thieves, many of whom had left in the past few weeks, back to the way of life they knew. "All of them are a part of this land…and Hyrule means more to me than anything in this entire world. Anything." She stared down at her shaking hands. She didn't need to look into Link's eyes to know his pain. "That's what I've realized."

Link was silent for a long, long time. When at last he spoke, his voice was quite even. "That's it, then."

"Yes." Zelda stood up and brushed off her skirt. It was difficult to get used to wearing a dress, as Impa insisted she do whenever she wasn't doing anything strenuous. Averting her eyes, she added, "You saved us all, Link. I won't forget. Not ever."

She turned and walked away, away from the man she loved, and didn't look back to see if he was watching. She told herself she didn't want to know.

***

Copyright 2004 to C.L.F. No part of this document may be used in any way without the author's permission.

***

_A (final) note from the Hime no Argh herself—_

This is the third time I've written a final note for a final chapter of a long fanfic, and I feel really, really tired. Heh. Some of you may not like the way I ended this story, and I understand that. And I sympathize, I really do. I am a fan of unrequited romance, but happy endings are nice too.

In this case, though…I couldn't see it working it realistically. Link and Zelda will always be an unrequited couple to me. But I hope that you won't hate Zelda for officially breaking it off at the end. Maybe because I know where she's coming from; because it's hard to allow yourself to love, and put all of yourself into that love, when there is a great big world out there that you want to be part of. So…yeah. Not a lot more to say on that.

Anyway…gosh, where do I even begin with thanks? First I must thank my wonderful beta, whose enthusiastic comments are always inspiring. I totally forgot who and what influenced me throughout this project, argh. But lots of thanks to them, whoever/whatever they may be. And every last bit of my gratitude to you, the readers, who stuck with me through this rambling fanfic and reviewed along the way. I can't tell you how much I appreciated your feedback, it made it all worthwhile. And so much feedback! Whether TD deserved over 500 reviews or not, all I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

And thank you for reading this last chapter. I hope you enjoyed _The Destined._

Hime


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